NATIVE LANDS COURT, CAMBRIDGE. (Monday, August 1st, 1881 )

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1417, 2 August 1881, Page 2

NATIVE LANDS COURT, CAMBRIDGE. (Monday, August Ist, 1881 )

An announced by Gazette the Native Lands Court opened at Cimbiidge, yesterday morning. The object was to adjonrn tho fitting, and appoint the day for re-assembling. There were about 30 natives present, and several native agents. Mr Hammond attended as Government representative. There wore also present: —Messrs Grace, E. B. Walker, Williams, and other Europeans.

The Patatere sub-divisions. Mr Hammond explained to the natives present, that this, the Ist day of Ausru^t, was the day in the rotice for the sitting of the Court at Cambridge. It had been found however, impossible to get tho several surveys completed in time. I', had therefore been decided to adjourn the sitting until the 6th of September. He had come up partly for the purpose of adjourning it to that date. He had however, another another object in coming up and that was to endeavour to arrange the sub-divisional claims that appear in the notice for the lit of August, having been authorised by the Chief Judge to do so in order that the sub-divisional lives if po arranged might be laid off on the ground between this and tho sitting of the Court on the 6th proximo, so that everything in connection with the sub-divisions might fee completed at that sitting. The Court was consequently adjourned until the 6th of September. It Wcas found that but few of those concerned in the sub-divisions were present at the Court on account of the notice of postponement which they had received. Those present were informed by Mr Hammond that no arrangements could be come to re the sub-divisions unless all natives concerned were present, or unless the absentees should give written authority for those present to act for them. The natives then requested Mr Hammond to allow the matter to stand over until to-day, in order that they might decide what course they would adopt. They, however, expressed their opinion that the absentees could not be got here i at the present time, as they could not afford the time to come to Cambridge now and again on the 6th proximo, as they were busy preparing for their cultivations. This was all the business, and the matter was adjourned till to-day.

It would appear that the trouble arising in the late Mr Sothern's will is not after all to be settled amicably. The will was recently published in cxtensoin the Era, and Mr ■ Lytton Sothern, in writing to contradict one clanse, which states that the sum of £1600 had been given to him by his deceased parent, adds :—": — " With regard to the other clauses, it is not in my province to apeak, as the will, in its entirety, will be disputed, in due course, on behalf of the widow and children. It is said that many years ago Messrs .John S. Clarke arid Edwin Booth played together, in Havre-de-Grace, Maryland, jU.S., to a house representing the magnifU cant total of seven dollars,