MAORI MEMORIES.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18944, 15 May 1933, Page 3

MAORI MEMORIES.

INTERESTING VIGNETTES. (Recorded by SUMMARY JUSTICE. Under the Resident Magistrate Ordinance of the early days several Maori chiefs were paid small salaries to act as native assessors. Being without English education or guidance they administered the law in an original fashion, sometimes without equity, but always vigorously. TI Oriorl. of Maungatautari, whose legal aoumen would do credit to Lincoln’s Inn, devoted no more than one hour to each case. When time was up he promptly out short the evidence and delivered Judgment. In one case where the decision was palpably wrong, later on the losing party vigorously protested, and explained the whole cause. The arbitrary Solon said he was very sorry for him, but he never allowed a case to be reheard. This enterprising Judge proved useful to certain Waikato squatters enforcing their claims against natives in their own court of justice and charging commission on the amounts recovered. , Hetaraka Nera, who held an illegal but perfectly formal “Maori Court of Justice” at Raglan, where writs, summonses and subpoenas wero duly issued, condemned a Maori to pay damages and court costs. Three years later Hetaraka followed the defaulter to the English Resident Magistrate’s house, where he was befog paid some land dues. The home of the pakeha was tapu, but when his quarry left Hetaraka knocked him down, counted the overdue damages, plus £1 “costs of court,” and returned the balance.