The Omaramui Difficulty.

Auckland Star, Volume XI, Issue 3240, 8 December 1880, Page 2

The Omaramui Difficulty.

[BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

NAPIER, Tuesday. The Supreme Court writ in the case ot the Omaramui block, owned by Mr Button, but which he has been deprived of by the Maoris for the last ten years, was served to. day by the Sheriff's officer. A party of eight went to serve the writ. On the arrival at the pa, it was fouud that all the. men were absent, and from what subsequently transpired it appeared that they had determined to leave only women and decrepit men, in the belief tbut Europeans would not use force to eject them. The bailiff' and his assistants waited all day trying to find some of the men, but were unsuccessful, and at last, having failed in their repeated efforts to get the women to' leave peaceably, were obliged to use force. The women declared they would sooner die than leave the land, and taunted the Europeans with sending a war party against defenceless women and children, A sudden fancy took them, and they began to strip; declaring that they would be removed naked, and when at last'"they were carried out, struggling,5? kicking, and screaming, they wore only chemises. Possession was then formally given to Mr Sutton. Soon the women seemed reconciled,' and asked Mr Sutton to lend them his cabs to carry them to Tareha's pa, and tliis mas done. Tareha was acquainted with the proceedings, and acknowledged that ,the orders of the Supreme Court must be obeyed, Three men were then left in possession, the remainder returning to town. All seemed satisfactorily settled, when, two hours later,; a native policeman and eight Maoris went' and removed the men in possession. They stated that Captain Preece, native agent, and Mr Hamlin had informed them thattho the ejectment was carried out by the orders of Mr Sutton, and not of the Supreme Court, and, though they would yield to the Court, they would not yield to Mr Sutton. This agreed with the statements made by; the women, to the eiiect that Captain Preece had told them that the Native Win. istcr had instructed Him to inform them that Mr Sutton was the sole author of the proceedings. ; . tMsihsul