WAIRARAPA LAKE

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 99, 22 January 1924, Page 11

WAIRARAPA LAKE

1 ORIGINAL NATIVE OWNERS’ INTERESTS. A sitting of the Native Land Court was oixnied at Greytown yesterday before Chief Judge Jones, with Mr.” Kingi Tahvri as clerk and interpreter. The case before the Court referred to the question of relative interests or shares in which the native- owners were originally entitled to Wairarapa Lalde. The title to this lake was. investigated some years age, and yielding to European desires, it was acquired by the Government at a cost of £2OOO, and suitable reserves were to be set apart for the native owners of the lake. As time went on, it was found impracticable to fix the reserves around the lake as intended, as meantime, much European settlement had taken place. A. block, therefore, was acquired in the Taupo district, and was sot aside fcr the natives. In .fixing the shares for this the natives objected to each person being treated ns equally entitled, and petitioned Par* bament. As a result legislation was passed authorising the Court to define the shares of the owners in the lake property with the object of applying the same to the land granted in oxolmnae, known as the Pouakani Block. On the case heing called, all parties desired an adjournment until Thursday next, which was granted. Before doing so the Court gave an important ruling holding that .no fresh . persons were to be admitted into the title, and that no person in the title could he ejected. If anv w™e found there to he without right, the shares of such persons might he reduced.