FINED FOR TRESPASS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 69, 14 December 1933, Page 8

FINED FOR TRESPASS

Maori Chief Sows Potatoes on Crown Land OWNERSHIP DISPUTED By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, December 13 A chief of the Ngati Whatua tribe, from the Maori settlement -at Orakei, Hikoi Paora, appeared before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Police Court, charged with trespassing on Crown lands at Orakei without a license from the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Mr. W. D. Armit. The charge was brought under section 39 of the Land Act, 1924. Mr. Meredith, who represented the Commissioner ( said it was alleged that defendant had ploughed up certain Crown lands at Orakei, an area of-about two acres. A field inspector had visited the place on October 6, and Paora had been warned, but had ignored the warning, and had gone ahead and ploughed a pasture area, which had now been sown in potatoes. The area, which, is Crown land, had been leased to a man named Newcombe, and it was while he was in possession that the ploughing was done, said Mr. Meredith. “It sounds like wilful trespass,” said Mr. Matthews, who appeared for the Maori chief. “Really it is not. This man is a very highly connected Maori chief of the Ngati Whatua tribe, whose ancestors obtained these lands something like 300 years ago.” Mr. Hunt: Later they sold it. Mr. Matthews: That is not admitted. Accused denies he ever signed away one of the blocks. If the Crown insists they may have to go- over his dead body, and we do not want that. There is the Native mind to be considered as "well as the departmental mind. These people down at Orakei are destitute and are harvesting the crop of potatoes now. He is prepared to go off as soon as the crop is finished. Asked when the crop would be finished, accused said the harvest would be completed after Christmas. Mr. Matthews: I have persuaded him, and he trusts me now, that vacation of the land is not to be deemed to be abandonment. This Native matter Is now before a Select Committee of the House. All I ask is that he can go off of his own free will. Mr. Hunt: But Jam bound under the statute.

Mr. Matthews: I ask that you exercise clemency by allowing him to go off by himself. Mr. Hunt: He stayed there when he was told by the authorities to go. Mr. Matthews: His crop was in. Mr. Meredith pointed out that the Maoris had been paid compensation for this particular block of land. The Field Inspector, in evidence, said the Crown had had to pay £2 compensation to its tenant. The chief was fined £2 for trespass and was ordered to pay damage estimated at £2. “I will make no order for'eviction,” said Mr. Hunt. Mr. Meredith: I presume he will go off. otherwise the Crmyn will have to take steps.