ALLEGED FRAUD.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 146, 14 March 1908, Page 4

ALLEGED FRAUD.

A MAORI WILL CASE. ' fDT TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, jf ' . Auckland, March 13. An interesting • case"affecting the validity of a Maori will lias been before Judge Edgar at the Native Land Court at Auckland for ' several days. It appears that in 1905 a, Maori woman named Mihi Riwi died at Oriewhero, and.she was at the tinio of; her death possessed of . property at Whangarei arid Wai,uku, variously stated to be worth "-from £200 to 6500.. In her will she bequeathed / this property to her daughter, .Ngahuirangi, and to Mr. Henare Kaihau, M.P. Certain grandchildren, for whom 'Mri : Fred Earle appeared, moved to have this will iset 'aside, alleging that there had been fraud and undiio ' ; influence st work in the execution of tha will, ; and, further,. that tho deceased was insane at ,the time the will purported to • have been made. ' , The evidence on the part of the grandchildren was to the effect that it: was evident to those acquainted with Mihi Riwi's signa» ture that , the signature on the will was 'not hers/ and thus suspicion was aroused. The evidence also alleged that the fact that tho will had r teen ' signed for the 'testatrix -was not disclosed on the documents itself, nor in the papers "put in in support of it, the method of i-xccution only becoming known to ] the parties through.'. -th'e The, evidence led on behalf of the motion to declare the will invalid further alleged* that the document', was' made' in Henace Kaibau's, . house at Waiuku, in;the presence of his wife, hisfather-in-jaw, aijd-. friends, ano; • that'it w ; as written out by the father-in-lawi. .V It. was also stated in' evidence that the deceased - lady was not- living at Waiuku, where the will was alleged to have been made, at the date set out thereon'. V /On the ether hand, Mr.; 0. J. Parr, who is appearing for . Mr. Kaihau, has called several 'Natives Cwha' deposed ■ that Mihi Riwi resided for many years in Henare Kai-< \ hau's house before she died; that ho had treated her . very kindly, and ; she was genuinely attached to him, and had fra« ' . quently mentioned that she T intended ; to' leave him' her property." The witnesses said also that cne Brown, at the request of thft deceased, wrote her name; for her eon the will," she holding the end of the j>en.. Coimsol for the beneficiaries'under the will contended that this a legal signaturo, and quoted, authorities. _■ •