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Malas Family v Songoriki Family [1990] VUSC 5; Land Appeal Case L1 of 1985 (7 November 1990)

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU

APPEAL CASE NO. L1/85

BETWEEN:

MALAS FAMILY

AND:

SONGORIKI FAMILY

I have further considered this matter and from reading my judgement and the papers in this matter I am satisfied that the land granted to the Songoriki family ended at the land side of the road. From the plan attached to my judgement it is quite clear that this is so.

I do not agree with the contention of the Songoriki family that the land granted by me as custom owners crosses the road and continues to high water mark on the seashore. Therefore as the shore side of the land opposite the land granted to the Songoriki family is in dispute between the parties;

I HEREBY ORDER that both parties refrain from interfering with the sand on the sea side of the road until the customary ownership can be resolved by the Village Court, the Local Area Council of Chiefs, the Island Court and the Supreme Court if necessary.

If both parties agree to share any money obtained from the purchase of the sand on the seashore opposite the afore said land the customary ownership of which the Court granted to the Songoriki family, then this Order shall not come into force but if any dispute should arise as to the division of money obtained from the sale of the sand, the order shall have full effect from the date of such dispute and remain in force until the custom ownership of the land on the seashore side has been decided.

Dated at Vila this 7th day of November 1990.

Frederick G. Cooke
Chief Justice

JUDGMENT
Mele Land Dispute, South Sea Cement Factory,
Roman Catholic Mission Land, LAKENPAGATAU.
Ikasern Hill on top. We Map isoem out.

After Efate Island Court iarem tok tok long Efate Island Court 14th January 1985, 6th February 1985. All tok tok mo all Question mo ol Pruf mo all Visit iko long Dispute Eria, mo tok, we Court iwantem belong talem out long tufalla, se long dispute tufalla iclaimem Custom Ona, long LAKENAPAGATAU iko kasem on top long Hill, we Roman Catholic Mission, we long Mele Village long Nakamal blog Chief, Peter Boilapa blong Mele Village, toktok belong lukluk long em, mo, long 4 time we all iluk luk long em, mo ino kat any agreement mo minit ikam long Efate Island Court.

Long time we Court isidaon mo long Custom long ol Kroan long Efate, we Court iaskem, mo finem se long Custom belong Kroan, all nem, mo use blong Kroan long Efate Custom, mo Imere Custom.

Long Land onaship long trip, mo tripe Chief mo tripel Management long Land, mo Land transfer long Custom ino all Ceremoni belong all, Land mo tripal mo family iko long Land.

Long Land Dispute belong Mele some new, claim we tufala family italem Malas family italem se mi, mi long Blood belong Papa mo Pumpu, mo ino long Naflak, Long side belong Sogoriki italem se em istanap long side belong Blood ino Naflak. Toktok long Claim, History, Prove, Naflak, Sautoga, mo Blood 'Relative' ikam long Decision we Court ikat long em.

Long side belong all smol Roroai (orkokoi) we all smoll smoll, roroi belong all matarau or VARKALI em imas. Maramara Raga Supe Tekaiga imenem se Chief long VAREA belong EM i mas protectern, all right belong Use long kroan, mo respectem, from, all system mo traditional fasin belong Chief istap long all, long fate. Matarau use long kroan, mo toktok ol time em base long em long custom, language land mo matarau.

Tok tok we court iluk long em, em itoktok we ikam out long TERIKI Peter Boilapa, family Sogoriki mo family Malas mo em som se land tenu belong Efate mo Imere isame long principal mo side belong Maramara Raga imas protektem right belong use long kroan, long area we em istap luk outem.

Constitution belong Republic of VANUATU iaskem long kroan iko long Custom Ona, mo land long before onaship long em, i base long Right, we Court imas lukluk kud long em.

Last tok tok we Court iwantem se Custom Ona we Constitution ikeirem Palamen imas luk luk pakeken long em from all Custom belong VANUATU belong use long kroan em very important from future onaship long kroan long Republic of VANUATU, olsem tok tok italem some time one nor fall Rod we isave halpem Custom from Court belong Land.