NATIVE LAND COURT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 11595, 21 March 1890, Page 2

NATIVE LAND COURT.

THE WAIPU BLOCK. ] Judgment in the Waipu Block case, • which hai occupied Judgo Ward and his , staff for the last throo months, was given •at Tufakina yesterday. Groat intorost has boon manifested in tlio caso by tho | natives, who appear to bo vory woll satisfied with tho Court's decision. Tho Waipu Block is part of tho land of the , Ngati Apus, who, in oldon times, owned a vory largo tract of country, and had numerous pahs between the Turakina and Wangaohu Rivers. Owing to tribal fights, however, their numbers were considerably weakoned, and many o? tho , loading representatives of tho different chiefs' families wero tiled. In oases of groat trouble their chiefs usod to call the tribe to Eangitikoi for protection, whoro j they remained until tho danger was past. ; The difficulty experienced by the Com t j was to distinguish tho parties who, after , tho last abandonment of the land, ro- , turned and settled in tho Waipu Block. In the course of tho ovidenco very interesting details wero given of th.o. early ' life of tho Maoris, and many pf $he tribal : battles were described and particulars ' givon of tho slaughter attending them. Tho judgment affects about 150 natives, and thoir shares will probably be individualised to-day. The following are the particulars of tho judgment, giving tho* number of acres awarded to each : — Ngati Ratua, about 215 acres on the north-east corner of tho block. Ngati Hika Pirau, 215 acres, adjoining tho above. Rangitumoana and* Hinewai, between 1100 and 1200 acres on tho Turakina side of the Block. Rangipuhi, about 300 acres ; and Ngati Tamanaina Cho balance of the Block, 2480 acres.