Native Land Court.

Hastings Standard, Issue 104, 26 August 1896, Page 2

Native Land Court.

A DECISION IN POUKAWA

In the Native Land Court a decision in Poukawa was delivered by the -Judges today. This case was brought into Court by the well-known chief, Te Hapuku, as far back as 1867, when the block included Koporokore and Te Ken a, and though counter claims were set up, his general rights were not disputed. A difficulty then arose about the names for the order, and the case was adjourned so that the counter claimants might get the boundaries of their claims shown upon the map. The following year Koparakore and Te Kena were surveyed and run through the Court, but the bulk of the block was not passed through. Te Hapuku got it declared a reserve to exempt it from the operations of the Land Court, and to be kept for the use of his own people. Nothing further was done until recently, when, on the application of Te Naher and others and of the Public Trustee, the case again came _before the Court. The ancestors " set up," and upon which some of the claims were based were Te Rangikoranaki and Turakui, the other titles being the permanent occupation by the claimants and the legal power to hold the land against all comers. As the land in dispute was good and peculiarly adapted for Maori settlement a considerable number of shadowy claims were set up. The number of counter-claimants were, by amalgamation reduced to nine, conducted by Ihaia Tipuna, Nikiri Tikoro, Rapata Wakitui, Rota Mohiha, Inia Maru, Messrs Watt, Scannell, A. L. D. Fraser, and Iriatora Kingi. Mr Loughnan, assisted by Messrs Blake and Fox, appeared for the claimants. In arriving at their decision as to the ownership of the block, the Judges were guided by the claim of permanent occupation, and little notice was taken of ancestry. The claims of the parties represented by Ihaia Tipuna, Nikiri Tikoro, Rapata Turakitai, Rota Mohika, and Inia Manx were dismissed early. Mr Watt's claim on behalf of Pane Te Mihi, and Mr ScauneU's claim for the descendants of Te Tawa, were "not recognised, and their clients declared not entitled to admission to the block. The claims of Mr A. L. IX Fraser for the children of Ihaka Motoro and by Iriatora, Kingi for certain descendants of Turahui were quite unnecessary, as those persons were already admitted by the claimants. What remains of the original Poukawa Block is reserved for the benefit of Te Hapuku and his family, whose rights during 30 years of continuous occupation have never been questioned. The Court made an order in favor of ! the persons whose names have been i handed in by Captain Blake, including those of Mupiri Ruhara and such other j persons whose names have been admitted, I or who may be found to be entitled, and the Court directs that a list of such persons with the relative interests proposed j for each be submitted to flie Court 83 sooa j as jwenbte. 1