NATIVE ACTIONS AGAINST MR. JOHN LUNDON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9186, 28 April 1893, Page 6

NATIVE ACTIONS AGAINST MR. JOHN LUNDON.

[BY TELEGRAPHOWN CORRESPONDENT.] 1 Mangonui, Thursday. At the Resident Magistrate's Court at Mangonui to-day. before Dr. Giles, R.M., the case Wi Wikihana and other natives v. John Luudouj was heard. The claim of Wikihana was for £87, and the total amount involved in the cases is upwards of £800. Mr. J. A. Tole appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. W. J. Napier for the defendant. Mr. Tole opened the case at length, stating that the actions wero for certain moneys detained by Mr. Lundon out of the amount of the purchase money of the Kaitaia block in the north of Auckland. The facts were that Mr. Lundon, while in' Wellington in 1891, offered to Mr. Cadman the Kaitaia block, and Mr. Cadman fixed the price of 7s fid per acre. At this time Mr. Lundon had no authority to Bell the land, but relied on his influence

with the natives to secure their assent to i the sale. Air. Lundon subsequently got. the natives to sign un agreement providing that»he (Lundon) was to retain for his trouble whatever sum was obtained over 4s 6d per acre. When the purchase money was paid over to the natives by the Postmaster, they handed the money to Mr. Lundon, who deducted an amount equal to 3s per acre for himself, and paid over the balance to the natives. The action was to recover this balance. Mr. Tole then referred in detail to the evidence which he proposed to call. The case is likely to last several days. There is a largo number of natives and Europeans present in town to give evidence in the cases. ___________ ' ;