Saturday March 4th
Court sat at 10 am.
Present – same judges and assessors.
Makirikiri No. 2 – continued
Hona Taupo – Sworn.
Otaki. Ngatiraukawa. Know the land. Have seen the surveyor’s pegs. East portion of this land by side of river was mine. I occupied and cultivated it from the time of the coming of Ngati Raukawa from Maungatautari. It is now Hemi Rauapiri’s. I sold it to him and have received the payment. It was mine alone.
Tiemi Rauapiri stated that he wished no restrictions to be placed on the alienability of the land.
It was ordered that a certificate of the title of Tiemi Rauapiri to a piece of land at Otaki containing a2 – r1 – p3 and called Makirikiri No. 2 be made and issued to the governor.
Court to recommend no restriction on alienability.
Fees demanded Invest £1 Explan 10/- Cert £1 Total £3 – 10 – 0
Tururutanga – Hemi Kuti Te Kanawa
Hemi Kuti appeared.
Land surveyed by Mr. Hughes.
John Hughes – Licensed surveyor – Sworn.
I produce a plan of claim (produced). This is a copy of the plan prepared by me for the court. Evidence as to survey and boundaries. Employed by Hemi Kuti. He pointed out boundaries. Survey not interrupted. Not aware of any dispute as to ownership. Don’t apply to court for charges.
Hemi Kuti – Sworn.
Otaki. Ngatiraukawa. Recognises land on plan. It is mine. I bought it off Tereturu about 3 years ago. I have not cultivated it but have fenced it 18 months ago.
Tereturu Kahoe – Sworn.
Otaki. Ngatiraukawa. Recognised land on plan. It is fenced. It was mine. It was occupied and cultivated by me from the coming of Ngatiraukawa. It was my sole property. It is now Hemi Kuti’s. I sold it to him for £6 and I have received the money.
Wishes a grant without restrictions and in his own name only.
It was ordered that a certificate of title of Hemi Kuti to a piece of land at Otaki containing a1 – r1 – p14 called Tururutanga be made and issued to the governor.
Fees demanded Invest £1 Explan 10/- Cert £1 C.G £1 Total £3 – 10 – 0
Hurihangataitoko No.1 – Hokepera Tuhui
Hokepera appeared.
Land surveyed by Mr. Swainson.
George Frederick Swainson – Licensed surveyor – Sworn.
Produced plan of claim. Usual evidence as to survey and marking boundaries. Employed by Kokepera and others. They pointed out the boundaries. Survey not interrupted but a general claim has been made by Piripi Te Rangi ata hua including the whole of this claim.
Hokepera Tuhui - Sworn.
Otaki. Ngatiraukawa. The land shown on the plan is my land. The land of myself and the persons named in application (7 persons). We are of Tuhourangi and other ‘hapu’s’ but have become Ngatiraukawa’s. Our father Tuhui came from Rotorua with a party. On arrival here, the first place he occupied was this claimed by me. He went and occupied, no one gave it to him. He found Ngatitoa here. He remained there till I was born there and have always occupied up to the time of coming to reside in the town. There were two houses (large houses) of ours there before the town. One belonged to Tuhui and one to Ururoa whose sister Titohea was Tuhi’s geneology A and lives. Don’t know whether the people named by me as owners came with Tuhui. All I know is that I was born there, grew up there and always knew it as our ‘kainga’. I was not born until some time after Tuhui arrived.
Ururoa Ripia – Sworn
Otaki. Ngatiraukawa. Know the land claimed by Hokepera. It belonged to my sister Titohea who was Hokepera’s mother. Titohea and Tuhui came with the first ‘heke’ and we found them here when we and the great ‘heke’ arrived. They had been in occupation a year and had grown food on this land. Each person took what piece he chose. They were in occupation of that land up to the time of our coming from Rangiuru to the town here. The year Rauparaha was liberated. The others and other Tuhourangi have claims near there.
Piripi Te Rangi ata hua – Sworn - Appeared as counter claimant.
Otaki. Ngatiraukawa. The land claimed by Hokepera belongs to me, excepting a small portion at south end which I have given to her out of love. The land belonged to Rauparaha. My mother was a sister of Te Rauparaha’s wife Te Akau - Tamihana’s mother. When I came from Rotorua, my mother Kiriwera and Te Rauparaha gave me this land. When we came from Rotorua, Te Rauparaha was at Kapiti. He came here and built his ‘wharepuni’ called Whitimatenga on the land claimed by Hokepera and he then gave the land to me. Tuhui was living there when the land was given to me and to Horohau who was a son of Te Akau by Hape – her first husband, also to Tuhui. Horohau is dead. Horohau occupied upper portion. I below and Tuhui below that up to the time of coming away to the township. Occupied together and left together. Hape owns Horohau’s piece. His son appeared to be confused about the boundaries of Hokepera’s claim and asked have them pointed out to him on the ground. Mr. Swainson promised to do this.
Further hearing postponed.
Court adjourned at 1 pm.
Court resumed at 2 pm.
Hurihangataitoko No. 2 – Ururoa Ripia
Ururoa Ripia appeared and was informed that Tamihana Te Rauparaha had put in a counter claim and had written a letter enclosing a medical certificate of his unfitness to attend the court in consequence of illness and asking for an adjournment.
Hearing postponed.
Hurihangataitoko No. 1 – continued
Piripi Te Rangi ata hua – recalled.
I have been to see the boundaries of Hokepera’s claim and find I was mistaken about them. I do not now oppose her claim as shown on the map.
Persons named in application except Rupuha and Pene appeared and agreed to a grant in favor of Hokepera.
It was ordered that a certificate of title of Hokepera Tuhui to a piece of land at Otaki containing r3 – p14 called Hurihangataitoko No. 1 be made and issued to the governor.
Court recommends no restriction.
Fees as usual. £3 – 10 – 0
Pahianui No. 1 – Hokepera Tuhui
Hokepera appeared.
Land surveyed by Mr. Swainson.
George Frederick Swainson – Licensed surveryor – Sworn.
Produced plan of claim. Usual evidence as to survey and plan. Employed by applicant. Boundaries shown by claimant. No interruption. No dispute as to ownership.
Hokepera Tuhui – Sworn.
This land belonged to my father Tuhui. I know it was his because it was occupied by my father up to the time of his death. I have a brother, a son of my fathers but not of my mother. I don’t know his mother. The land belonged to Tuhui not to my mother. Hurututu is the name of my brother. He did not occupy with my father has only recently came back here. Tuhui when living said, I was to have his land and I have occupied it since his death. It is fenced in by me. Te Poria heard Tuhui’s word. I wish a certificate in favor of myself and Te Poria who is half brother to my mother by another mother wish for a grant without restriction.
Ururoa – knows the land, it was Tuhui’s. He left it to his daughter Hokepera and Poria heard him say so myself.
It was ordered – certificate of title of Hokepera Tuhui and Kawana Poria to a piece of land at Otaki containing a4 – r0 – p0 called Pahianui No. 1 be made and issued to the governor.
Court to recommend no restrictions.
Mr Swainson applied to the court to notify his charges amounting to £1 – 10 – 0 un paid.
Ordered that the court do notify the same to secretary for crown lands. Amount paid into court. Order cancelled.
Fees as usual. £3 – 10 -0
Court adjourned at 4 pm till tomorrow.
