MAORI WILL CASE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 174, 16 April 1908, Page 5

MAORI WILL CASE.

, : •EVIDENCE AS TO SANITY. . . . .- Ibt inLEGiurn—-rnEss AssooiATioN.i ••• Auckland, April 15. ■ Tho. Maori will case, in which Mr. Henaro Kaihau, M.P., socks to establish the validity of the will of an old Maori lady named Mihi Kiwi, of Wamku, again came' before' Judge Edgar'at-. the 'Native Lind' Court yesterday. A : Native named Tajuihana, : liying near Waiuku,J 'deposed y that ho frequently : saw, .and conversed.: with ; Mihi, Riwi during the .last years of her life, and sho seemed quite'clear in her mind.' - j' 1 ' ■-'• ' All .old Maori, who said ho was'- a halfbrother to deceased, rcmemberod Mihi coming to his settlement at Onewhero a fortnight before her death; Ho asked her'where she had: come from, when she -replied that sho had got too much drink at Waiuku and was put into gaol, - and on leaving gaol she was brought to Onowhoro. The witness' then' advised her. to give up drink, when she said : " No, it is food, and good for us to have." After this he ccasdd'to, lecture her on the evils of' string drink.'' When she can;©. to Onewhero she and. her brother had a tangi, during which the old woman'wept copiously and' enumerated all their; friends who had died since their last meeting. ' This was regarded by.' the 1 witness as verystrong evi-: deuce of complete sanity. : Barriball, -a butcher, residing at Waiuku, testified to knowing Mihi for some years prior to her deaths ■-■She. frequently como to his shop and purchased meat. " She was quite sensible in'her dealings. Mr. Earl called Mr. ,Fitchott', fcho postmaster at- Waiuku, who said ho remombercd Mihi on one occasion entering the post office lobby, with a.largc-swag, which she deposited in a corncr.' Sho apparently intended,to stay all. night. After; a quarter of- an .hour he persuaded her to leave. Sho seomed sDly from old a£o: : :. ■■' ■.■'.; - In cross-examination by Mr. Parr, the witness said he could not.remember any. conversation with her.

This concluded the evidence; and the case was further adjourned for the addresses of oounsel. . ' . " ■ '' :;;