MAORI WOMAN ON LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18965, 12 March 1925, Page 12

MAORI WOMAN ON LAND.

THE TAKAPURIA TROUBLE. SEQUEL TO ISSUE OF WRIT. An elderly Maori woman, named Paki, appeared before Mr. Justice Herdman in the Supreme Court yesterday, under a writ of attachment, issued because of her refusal to obey an order of the Court to vacate certain land at Takapuna. The matter came before the Judge on February 20, when Mr. Blomfield, for Harry H. Adams, lessee of tho land, moved for leave to issue the writ. Counsel then referred to the previous litigation, and said Adams was paying over £6OO a year as rent., but -was unable to get the. benefit, of it owing to tho natives, who had been wrongly advised to continue the trespass. His Honor, when issuing tho writ, made it returnable for March 10. Mr. Fleming, for Paki, announced that the woman was willing to move from the land. Her reason for disobeying tho Court's order was that she thought, that if she did she would be irrevocably abandoning her claim to the land. She desired to make it clear that she left the property without prejudice to any claim she might be advised to make. His Honor said he was glad of the decision arrived at. It was futile to disobey a Court, order. He would have been reluctant to send a Maori woman to prison, when, no doubt, she thought she had some claim. His recollection was, however, that tho matter had been invesigated by the Nativo Affairs Committee, which had reported against Paki's claim. Mr. Blomfield said the Native Minister had said he would do nothing further in assisting the natives' claims. His Honor said he would adjourn the proceedings sine die, but would not strike the matter out. It could be brought on at three days' notice.