A NATIVE DISPUTE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16377, 27 June 1927, Page 8

A NATIVE DISPUTE

TROUBLE OVER MEETINGHOUSE EATANA FOLLOWERS IN COURT An interesting dispute has occurred in the fur north between followers n! Rat,ana and “Government” Maoris. Recently a farm scheme was put into operation hv the Tokelau Land Board tor (lie purpose of assisting the natives ol Te Kao In become more than hungers on beaches. The land which it was proposed should be used was vested in the Tokornu Land Board. Matters proceeded smoothly for a time hut there were rumblings from llie camp ol the prophets.” A dispute arose over Ihe ownership of the Maori meeting house at Te Kan. 'Che apostles of Katana claimed that they had an interest m the meeting house and they wanted that interest separated lor themselves. How to go about dividing the precious house was the problem, hut the apostles soon found a solution. In spite of warnings lrom Mr. Watt, the Native ’Lnfid Board’s representative at To Kao. and a telegram from the president ot the Native Land Court, a band of llatanaites marched to the meeting house armed with saws, hammers, and meat axes, and immediately set about cutting off some 14ft. from the building. This they removed m sect ions to a site of four acres about half a mile distant. and they proposed to. erect a building of their own. The remaining part of the meeting house was left open to all the winds of heaven. When the Itatanaitescommenced operations on the buildings their opponents wanted to prevent them even though force might he necessary, hut Hie good counsel of Air. Watt deterred them from interfering in any wav. Otherwise there would have been a tight over the building. The part of the building which was removed is now simply lying in sections on the Katana site. The police received complaint- of the “apostles'” action, with The result that twelve Katana Maoris appeared before Air. F. 11. Levien, fs.AL, in the Houliura- .Magistrate's Court, and were charged with wilful damage of. property, amt an application was made to hind them over to keep peace. Koch was convicted and admitted to probation for 12 months, one of the terms of the probation being that they reinstate the building within two months. On the question of a bond the Magistrate reserved his decision. The Rat ami men are now faced with the humiliation of haying to reinstate the building in full view of the mocking eyes of the “Government” natives. iSo convinced were the offenders that they were on the right track that they pleaded not guilty of the charge of doing wilful damage to property.