OCCUPATION OF THE PUKEKURA AND PUAHOE BLOCKS.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1462, 15 November 1881, Page 3

OCCUPATION OF THE PUKEKURA AND PUAHOE BLOCKS.

Thhse lands which have been in dispute for a number of years past were formally occupied by the rightful owners Meesix Grice and Walker on Wednesday last. The Puahoe block whi'-h lies beyond the Botorungi Station passed through the first Lauds Court ever held in Cambridge, and although the various native interest* have been for some time purchased by the present owners Messrs Grice and Walker, thoy have been unable to obtain undisputed possesnion of the land through a dispute between the Ngatikauwhata tribe who hail from Otaki, and the grantees acknowledged by the Court when the land was passing into the hands of the fir-t European purchasers. The Ngatikanwhata maintam thut they were unjustly excluded from the ownciship or title, being the rightful owners. Our readers will remember that some few months ago commis'ioncis were appointed to enquire ■whether the land had been allotted to the proper parties, and that the result of that enquiry wos that the native? to whom the land had been originally given and from ■whom Messrs Griice and Walker purchnsed, wore declared to be the owners, and the Ngatikauwhata phown to have no mtciest whatever io the land. Parliament was next appealed to by the ug-griov-d* tribe, but the decihion of the Court and the Commif'sioners was not reversed. Notwithstanding this the natives (uumberinir about 12) under a chief named Tapa, acting on the advice of McDonnel, a pakeha. have since remained in poMjes*ion of the land until Wednesday when Messrs and Walker with about 15 men entered on to the land with a dray full of agricultural implements and took possession. With the exception of one old woman, who tried to put the implements back in th., dray, there was no obstruction offered. Judging by the present aspect, of affairs and considering the fact that Tawhiao and his chief* have supported the law and confirmed the title of the European owners, no further obstruction is anticipated. The Puahoe block con«i>-t8 of about 8000, acres a d the Pukekura block consists of a like number, and the land being of the be^ possible quality with very little swamp, its early eett'eraent may be looked forward to.