V.—Mata Parerata's Case.

This woman is alleged to be so weak, intellect that she is incapable of making contract for sale of her estate and that be incapacity to contract would he obvious the person purchasing from her. But w, find that she is sufficiently strong intellet to have been accepted as a wife by succes sive Maori husbands and that she is now living as wife to one Meka Kawhena at Ti homiti not very distant from Gisborne. All that has been satisfactorily proved against her intelligence is that she has an impeeb ment in her speech, but the evidence wa strong to show that she fairly understands her own interests and quite understands the value of money and that her alleged weak ness of intellect is not obvious to those whe have business dealings with her. She has not been brought before the Court so the we might judge of her intelligence, and we again notice that Wi Pere, Paterengo Noti, and Tipene Tutahi, when applying 24th Nov. 1883 for appointment of trustees for persons under disability, made no application for a Trustee for Mata. The Maories are page 13 quite aware that this Court has the power to vest the estates of persons so wanting in intellect as to be unable to protect their own interests, in trustees who can protect them. We shall certify that this case is one propel for validation.