SAMOAN DISPUTES

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 12092, 3 November 1933, Page 7

SAMOAN DISPUTES

NAME AND LAND. 'IMPORTANT INQUIRIES BY COMMISSION. (Pros? Association; WELLINGTON. Nov. 2A very lengthy sitting of the Land and Titles Commission has jnst been completed, writes the Samoan correspondent of the United Tress Association at Apia. The commission generally holds two sittings every year for the purpose ol settling land disputes, and dispute over chiefly titles and names. The Chief Judge, Mr, J. H. Luxford, presided, and Mr. W. Mcßride. Secretary of Native Affairs, and Mr. C, McKay, assistant-Sccre-tary, sat with the president as assesors. The commission is assisted hi' eight Samoan chiefs, who sit in an ad viso r v ca pa city. On the list were two important eases which each occupied the commission for a number of days. The first concerned the- name Ee’epo and the right to confer the name. The original holder of the name was the grandfather of the first Malietoa. lived nearly 900 years ago. Tile second case was to determine the ownership of a largo area of land taken by the Administration for water supply purposes. The land in dispute • formed part of a block of 14,500 acres acquired in the early ’seventies by the representative of 11 German firm. The Treaty of Beilin, in 1889, put the onus on on cry European owner of land to prove his. title. An International Land Corn, mission was set up to inquire into all .European claims. The work ot the commission took nearly five years. There were,over 400 separateclaims in respect of the block of 14,500 acres, but tile land commissioners recommended a compromise. The recommendation was adopted, and half the land was given back to the Samoans.

The present case necessitated an investigation of the proceedings of 40 years ago for the purpose of determining the ownership of the lands that were banded back to the Samoans. There were eight, separate claims of ownership, but the Land and Titles Commission decided in favour of the Seumanutafa family. The judgment of the commission also determined th© rights of the several members of the family consequent hero of the great hurricane in 1889upon a mavaegn. (will) made by Seumanutafa Moepogai, the Samoa* l