THE TE AKAU LAND CASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13501, 27 July 1907, Page 6

THE TE AKAU LAND CASE.

[BY TELEGRAPH. PRESS association.]

Wellington, Friday. The Appeal Court on resuming the hearing of the Te Aka.ii Block case intimated that, without expressing any opinion as to the power of the Court to issue a writ of prohibition in case of bias of a judge of the Native Appellate Court, they would like to hear argument on the question whether plaintiff's statement of claim disclosed any real bias on the part of Judge Browne. Mr. Bell, K.C., then addressed the Court to show that even if the allegations in the statement (which being denied) were true, they would not be such as to show any bias on Judge Browne's part. He also contended that, even if they did disclose bias, the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction to interfere, the proper tribunal being the Native Appellate Court itself. Mr. Skerrett, K.C., and Mi-. D. Findlay, on behalf of Judges Browne and Mair, then followed on the same lines. Messrs. Morrison and Earl addressed the Court on behalf of tho plaintiffs, contending (1) that the Supreme Court had jurisdiction to prohibit the Native Appellate Court on the ground of bias, and (2) that the circumstances alleged in the statement of claim disclosed a reasonable likelihood of unconscious bias on the part of Judg*. Browne, such as would justify the Supreme Court in interfering. Mr. Skerrett replied, and the Court reserved judgment.