TRESPASS BY CHIEF

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 143, 14 December 1933, Page 6

TRESPASS BY CHIEF

OLD NATIVE LANDS

ORDER FOR EVICTION

(By Telegraphs—Press Auociation.) AUCKLAND, December 13. ' A cliief of the-Ngati Wtiatua tribe, from the Maori settlement at Orakei, Hikoi Paora, appeared before Mr^i1. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Police Court, charged with trespassing on Crown lands at Orakei without a licence 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 the 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'warn<ing, and hadgone ahead and ploughed a pasture area, which had now been sown in' potatoes. " The ' area,.- which wai Crown land, had been leased to a man named Neweombe, and it was.whilehe was in possession that the ploughing was done, said Mr. Meredith. ' t ' "It sounds like wilful trespass,'1 * 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. The accused denies that he ever signed v 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 thecrop.is.finisned. Asked :when' : the crop -would" be finished the accused1 said that th« harvest would be completed after Christ* mas. /. ,;.y . •/ . ,'' ■ k "■ ■•■■',. £:' Mr. Matthews: 1 have persuaded him that vacation of tho land is not to be deemed to be abandonment. This Native matter is now before a Select Committee of the House. All I a»k is that he can go off of Ms own free will. Mr. Hunt: But I am bound under the Statute Mr. Matthews: I ask that you lexer. cise clemency by allowing him to go off by himself. Mr. Hunt: He stayed ther*Twhen he was told by the authorities to go. Mr. Matthews: His crop was in. Mr. Meredith pointed out that tho Maoris had been paid compensation for this particular block of land. The Tield Inspector, in evidence, said that tho Crown, had had to pay £ 2, compensation to its tenant, ' / ' ''' The chief was fined1 )£ 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 lie will bo off, otherwise the Crown will have to tajca steps.