Native Appellate Court.

Woodville Examiner, Volume XXII, Issue 3876, 21 May 1906, Page 2

Native Appellate Court.

AN IMPORTANT DECISION.

Hastings, May 18. An important decision was delivered by the Native Appellate Court thiE morning. A Maori lady, who is now dead, during an illness adopted two minors, Kathleen Blake and Ealph Holden Wellwood, as heirs to her estate. The next of kin to deceased. Hakupa Te Ahouga, sought to set aside this adoption on the grounds that the children never resided with deceased. The case has been before two Native Land Courts, from whence it was sent to the Appeal Court, who referred it to a special sitting before three judges not previously engaged in the case. After two days' argument here a lengthy judgment was delivered this morning in favor of the children The case involves between £15,000 and £20,000. Messrs H. D. Bell, and A. L. D. Eraser, supported the objection. Judges Edgar, Johuson, and Mair heard the case.