SAMOAN LAND CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 48, 27 February 1890, Page 8

SAMOAN LAND CASE.

HEARING THE APPEAL.

SPEECH OF FOUR DAYS AND

A-HALF.

The hearingof theappealin connection with the great Samoan land case commenced at Suva, Fiji, before Chief Justice Sir H. S. Berkely, on February 15fch. Mr J. H. Garrick, Q.C., and Mr J. P. Campbell appeared tor the appellants, and J. S. Udal, Attorney Genera), and Mr P. S. Solomon, Q.C., for the respondents. Mr Campbell opened the case for the appellants in a speech extending over four days and a half. Mr Garrick followed with an address three hours and a half long, and the Attorney-General commenced on Monday morning, 17th inst., and was expected to conclude on the Friday night. Mr Garrick or Mr Campbell will then reply, and it was expected that judgment would be delivered about a week after. At the opening of the case the attention of the Chief Justice was drawn to some alleged defects in the record, and errors and omissions in the minutes of the proceedings, but he ruled that the record having been certified to by Colonelde Coetlogen must be presumed to be correct,and that the minutes must be presumed to be accurate and could not be attacked. Counsel for the appellants pointed out that these errors and omissions by the Court below plaoed them at a serious disadvantage, but the Chief Justice maintained that a judge's notes must be accepted as absolutely correct.