SUPREME COURT.—Friday. CIVIL SITTINGS. [Before his Honor Sir George A. Arney Kt., Chief Justice, and a Special Jury.]

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4330, 1 July 1871, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.— Friday. CIVIL SITTINGS. [Before his Honor Sir George A. Arney Kt., Chief Justice, and a Special Jury.]

His Honor took his seat on the bench at 11 o'clock. ~ _ ' >■ Mohi Maunoakahia v. Craig. — Mr. MacCormick and Mr. Brookfield for the plaintiff; Mr. Hesketh and Mr. Hees for the defendant. This was the fourth day of hearing, the plaintiffs case having closed on the previous day, and his Honor having declined to nonsuit the plaintiff. Before the case was proceeded with, it was announced that the parties were^disposed to come to a settlement if possible. The Court accordingly adjourned until half-past 1 o'clock, and at that hour the parties, with their respective counsel, returned into Court, and it was announced that they had been unable to come to a settlement, and that the ..case would have to proceed.— -Mr. Hoes then opened the case for the defendant, and called the following evidence :— Paul Matutaera, an aged native, dressed in rather a primitiye fashion, was examined by Mr. Hesketh, and he .stated that after the death of Mohis mother he alone had the right to bring pakehas on the land and to turn them off, and that he had brought Craig on Opitonui and allowed him to cub timber, and he was "his pakeha." Aocording to his views Craig had a right to cut timber on Opitonui at present. The logs now on Opitonui belonged to Craig., Mohi never _ lived ,at Opitonui after Lydia's death, but always resided outside on his own settlement. Craig and his white men had chai'ge of Opitonui when witness left. The survey was his, and Mohi had got it done by witness's authority. Mohi was not a man of sufficient standing to order the survey. He was a man of much lower grade than witness, aud was of very low degree. Witness gave j the logs to Mohi to look after for the payment of the money which they were to receive from Craig. He said Mohi was stealing his laud, and had none of his own. — Crossexamined by Mr. MacCormick : Did not make any objection in the Native Lands Court at Coromandel to Mohis claim for Opitonui, because according to the English rules he was not allowed to -m,*ke a noise or speak loud, but when he getputsido the Court he objected. Was turned out of the Court subsequently, wEen he was objecting to a claim of the Ngatimaru, because he was making a row in Court. — The Court ad-, journed at 6 o'clock, until Monday morning' at 11 o'clock.