THE PROPOSED REMOVAL OF THE LAND COURT.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 924, 25 May 1878, Page 2

THE PROPOSED REMOVAL OF THE LAND COURT.

A meeting "was held yesterday afternoon m tha Town Hall, Hamilton, at which "the"Mayorpresided,-witli-the object .of explaining to the natives present' m the township, attending • the Native Lands Court, what provision had been made for thoii" accomodation, and that of others yet to come.. It having come to t lie ears of the townspeople that the Court would be removed to Cambridge for want of house and horse accomodation m Hamilton. It was explained to tbe meeting :that house and horse accommodaii-K) for a large number of people had been provided. That the Committee had raised ,£BO by subscription, and if their chiefs" would supplement that sum it should be expended by ' a joint Committee of Europeans and Natives m the mainteuauce of those who required it. No return beifig expected of the money so given. Tuhikaraina said : Now, you .have heard what the Comuritiee will do, let these who object k> Hamilton speak first, and the others reply. Akapatsi,' chief of 'lYgatiraukawa, had attended with tbe intention-pf asking the Court to adjourn to' Cambridge. Theioisohhe wished it held at Cambridge sva'-s, he did ..not, think the Government would fiiid food and forage for his people, who would muster to the number of 300 or 400. He therefor wished to meet near the places where they can procure food from. Another reason was, that iv the case of dispute as to boundaries, the Coarfc'should be near the land, and be able to go and see for themselves. Alsoj lie believes that the townspeople": of Hamilton were anxious, they should stop here, that they miy spend money ' He also heard the objection to the sitting of the Court at. Cambridge was, that the Maoris got drank there. That, he thought; was tho fault of the' Government, which made the law enabling the Maoris to get drunk. He was willing that the ,- succession order claims ' should- be settled at Hamilton, but the freehold laud claims 1 1 Cambridge. ■. - r . HargraVes objected to Hamilton because Cambridge is situat jd'in a 'central position. As regard-; the, townspeople of Hamilton, they were not able if willing to provide f>aod for the 1,000 people . who would attend the Court. The great majority of the claims to be heard belong to^Tgatirankawa claims which he opposed. The united desire of tho claimants and 'jountor-claimants was that court be held at Cambridge. \t Cambridge the Datives would be able to provide themselves with their own supplies. .Te Kawau said he had come .to ask that his claims be heard at Cambridge. His people would not come to Hamilton. All of the lauds to be adjudicated on were iv the district of Patetere, none m Waikalo. He was instructed by his people to request that their claims be not heard at Hamilton but at Cambridge or notheard at all. The natives were informed that a steamer ran every other day between Cambridge and Hamilton, and that m the event of the Court being held, at Hamilton their provisions should be brought down -free of charge. Tuhikaraina asked wore these all the objections to the Court sitting at Hamilton. Listen to the offer of the Committee of this town. We who wish to hold the Court hero will not give way. Of all the eight Courts held m Cambridge I have never heard of the people coming forward money and provisions- for the wants of the natives; I am simply astonished and gratified at. the kindness' and hospitality of she people of Hamilton towards strangers. I should feel very much , . grieved if the Court left Hamilton after the provision made. At no' Court held at Cambridge did the natives bring food from Patetere and other . places. I alone supplied the food from Tamahere. "I believe, if the Court is held at Cambridge I shall have to find the food as heretofore. I think it- is due to those tribes who have come to Hamilton from a distance m consequence of the proclamation that the Court should not be adjourned to another place. They have been waiting here several days. It was only a small section of Te Kawau's people who wanted the Court at Cambridge. He believed that instead of 400 people, his followers were not more than 30, and they were now here m Hamilton. He objected to his claims being adjourned to Canibnd^', and. as regards Kawau's particular claims to be heard, he would state that, m the present meeting, the principal owners and a majority were present, and they were listen- - in<r to him as he repeated that he, , for them, objected to his claim being - adjourned to Cambridge, as they , considered all real objections io the « holding of the Court m Hamilton < had been removed by the very hos- ? pitable provision made for natives by i the townspeople. He objected to i Cambridge on accountof t the drunken- c ness and fighting that took place J there, .., ' ■'■■ 'it i At this stage Hargreaves and . c

1 ' Akapata attempted to obstruct the mcot.ij)^- with interruptions. Tuhikaraiu.i complained that Har o'renvo30 'renvo3 should iutorrnf^ pfolj ceeciiug-s, as ho had already Ifecu ■ and l hoy hal heard him natieij^Jrl The uoi.;ey#l-^oiUinu.C^ig!^^oa-n#i, a head?fife'|sf Nglfe&uMngi, havinor at last- .alfle hjgf.elt' ftird, said, pointing tq.^ivgre||o;s i^ tliti reason h'vpmt my Mk^msliffiaVd' 'at Hamilton and not at Oambrid^-e. It is this sort of obstriictidn I I'e'ai- - :-fF-d-go-to;=Oa-inbi'iclge."- S M.-* v^«.. Several other natives spoke m tfie' same Strain, and the meetinij closed with,an almost,.uaani.pa.pas;.^:.ot,y,tha.t the Court rorhain m Hamilton.