A NATIVE CASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 22 November 1912, Page 5

A NATIVE CASE.

OF INTEREST TO WAIRARAPA. A case of considerable importance to Natives and others in the Wairarapa was recently heard before the Native Appellate" Court. The facts briefly are that in th© year 1860 eight Natives sold two blocks of land in the Whareama district to the Crown, subject to a reserve of 1150 acres. In 1865 two of the Natives obtained a Crown grant in favour of themselves jointly. On© of the grantees died, and the survivor succeeded to the reserve. About 1893 action was taken by the 'survivor to obtain a land transfer title. This was opposed by the successors of the joint tenant. The matter went to the Supreme Court, subsequently to the Court of Appeal, which decided m favour of the lrst-mentioned. .joint tenant. The original deed of sale of 1860 was not registered, and consequently it wa.s difficult to discover what, wero its provisions, or on what grounds the Crown grant was issued to the two vendors to the exclusion of the other six mentioned therein. However, in 1907, the records were unearthed, and two petitions were presented to Parliament, which resulted in the passing of section 15 of'the Native Land Claims Adjustment Arc, 1910, which authorised the Native Appellate Court to hear th© allegations in the petitions. The case came on for hearing at Wellington, and subsequently at.Greytown. .At the, hearing the -successors of the joint tenant under the grant of 1865 were represented by Mr W. G. Beard. Tbo p.uvvivors of the other joint tenant were represented by Mr Sim (formerly judge of tho Native Land Court) and of 1860 were represented by Mr M. the original vendors under the deed Laverv. Judgment has been: given in favour of the original vendors. We understand that the reserve has been sold by the Public Trustee under arrangement with present-Native owners, and that the amount to bo distributed will run into softie thousands of pounds.