NATIVE LAND COURT

Southland Times, Issue 19255, 20 June 1921, Page 2

NATIVE LAND COURT

CASES DEALT WITH. MUTTON BIRD ISLANDS PETITION The Native Land Court under the presidency of Judge Oilfedder, concluded its Invercargill sittings on Thursday evening, A main list of 111 cases and a supplementary one containing 73 applications were disposed of. A few confirmations of sales and leases were granted and others were held over till valuations come to hand, especially those dealing with sales of timber on the Rowallan Landless Natives blocks to the Marlborough Timber Company. The main item of interest and contention was the enquiry into the merits of a petition sent to Parliament by Sarah Gilroy and 45 others praying for inclusion to the list of natives who are privileged to catch mutton-birds on the Titi Islands. When Commissioner Clarke purchased Stewart Island for the Crown in 1864, several mutton- bird islands were reserved aa food resorta for the natives. An investigation as to which natives were entitled to go to the islands took place in 1910 and as a result lists were gazetted in 1911 giving the names of those wno were to be permitted to enjoy the privilege of Mutton birding. In recent years the birds have increased in number, and the industry has become a very lucerative one, some parties getting a* high as £4OO for two months' catching. Hence there is an active movement on the part of excluded Natives to secure the right to go to the islands. A report is to be made for the guidance of Parliament. The Court goes to Picton next week and will return to Invercargill in September.