NATIVE LAND COURT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2719, 14 December 1889, Page 2

NATIVE LAND COURT.

Thk Native Land Court, sitting at Cambridge, was occupied daring tho whole of Tuesday taking evidence as to the sub-divi-sion of'blocks Nos. 1 and 2 at Maungatautari, for which tho Loan and Mercantile Company have applied. The Court was adjourned from Tuesday until Thursday, so that the judge could inspect the ground. Tho Native Assessor, Paratini, was warned that thera would be trouble, caused by Tawhaio's followers, if the Court officials went on the ground; however, Judge Mair, in the interests of the non-sellers, thought it necessary that he should see the land, and, accordingly, he, with the assessors, and Messrs W. M. May and J. M. Frazer, \ isited the block on Wednesday morning. There was no opposition shown ; indeed, on the other hand, the natives gave information as to tho various points in the boundaries, and the .sub-divisions have been made so as to include the whole of the burial grounds, cultivations and settlements in the land which has been awarded to the native non-sellers. On the return of the Judge and his party, Tawhiao was met half way between Cambridge and Maungatautari. The buggies were stopped, and the King seemed very glad to meet Major Mair, and was very friendly with him. There is no doubt that through tho tact shown by Major Mair, and his disposition to act fairly with all parties concerned, this long standing matter of the sub-division of Maungatautari Nos. 1 and 2 his at last been satisfactorily settled. On Thursday the Court was engaged with the application of the Ngatiwliawhakia and Ngatiwhare hapus, for the suli-division of Maungatautari No. 3a. In the first case tho evidence has been closed ; but, in the second, through a witness (Makarini) having had a fit, the Court was compelled to adioum until yesterday morning. Mr J. M. Frazer appears for the Ngatikoroki against any sub-division of the block being made, on the ground that the land proposed to be sub-divided is the remnant of the tribal land, and the people desire to hold it as a reserve. Nearly the whole of yesterday was taken up with the sub-division of Maungatautari No. 3, which will probably be finished to-morrow.