MAORI LANDS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18926, 15 February 1927, Page 8

MAORI LANDS.

ROYAL COMMISSION'S HEARING. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TKLIOEAM.) WAITABA, February 14. Argument before the Royal Commission set up to investigate the claims of Natives for alleged unjust confiscation of lands after the Maori War was continued to-day, Mr C. H. Taylor proceeding with his address on behalf of the Crown. Counsel contended that the Ngatiawa tribe, which was driven out of Taranaki by the Waikatos and subsequenlty allowed to return, did not possess tribal rights over the lands out of which the dispute arose, and it was submitted that the attitude of Chief Wiremu Klngi was one of defiance to the Crown. His resistance to the employment of military in the carrying out of the Waitara survey was not justified. The real cause of tho war in 1883 was the determination of Klngi and his supporters to veto all sales of land to Europeans. In the course of his reply tc counsel for the Crown, Mr Smith announced that the Natives desired that any award made by the Court should not benefit individuals except in the case of a few petitions, but should bo placed in a fund similar to that administered by the Arawa Trust Board for the benefit of the whole race. The evidence of the first witness, a son of an early white, whaler, aged 80 years, was being taken, when the enquire adjourned till to-morow.