More Info →Otaki Maori Land Court Minutebook - 27 January 1880.

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Tuesday 27^th January 1880

Court opened at 10 am.

Present – the same

Manawatu Kukutauaki No. 7D – resumed

Hapi Te Rangitewhata applied to have centre of block adjudicated on.

Hapi Te Rangitewhata – sworn

I am a Ngati Tuwhakahewa of Ngati Huia who thrust Ngati Raukawa off this land.

They dwelt at Parawaewae but went afterwards to Tangimate from there they were driven off and the same became Ngati Huia’s. They have kept it ever since and it is theirs. The yellow boundary was laid off by Te Manea Tuwhakahewa and Hapahapae dividing them from Ngati Huia.

This was laid off peaceably in 1844. After the Native Land Court adjudicated on the block, Tamihana caused the blue line to be laid off. Waitarere is covered with houses. Rota Potaka, Te Mapau, Karokaro bush, Te Noti, Te Wharawhara are places on or close to the yellow boundary so is Waikoere Lake.

Pene Te Aunui owned Rotoputaka and Te Mapau. His descendant is Ponewahio of Te Whakahewa. Noti belonged to Te Noti. His descendants are myself and others.

Waikoere Lake was Namana’s. Poniwahio is his descendant. These deceased persons made the yellow boundary. Tamihana never had any land between yellow and blue lines nor had houses there or fences. The houses were built by the 3 hapu’s above named. From Makomako to Te Waitohemanga, he has no houses. That lake belongs to the three hapu’s.

Objectors called for.

Tamihana Te Hoia – sworn

I am a Ngati Huia.

Rauparaha first conquered this land. The second was Whatanui who fought at Haowhenua against Muaupoko who owned M. K. 7D and it passed to Ngati Raukawa. It was occupied after 1839 by Ngati Huia.

The Ngati Wehiwehi – a hapu of Ngati Raukawa were driven off. Ngati Huia then occupied with all its hapu’s.

I was born about 1837. I have lived 40 years on this land. The 3 hapu mentioned by Hapi did not dwell between the blue and yellow lines but at Porotawhao pa’s. Then Ngati Tuara and Hapahapa broke up and went to live at Otaki.

Whakahewa (Hakaraia’s portion) stayed at 7D.

Ngati Manea cultivations were at the karaka. The 3 hapu’s had no cultivations in the part between the blue and yellow lines. No Hapahapa lived at Paeroa pa.

Hapi is from Rotorua. His mother was a Ngati Huia. His father did not come when Ngati Huia’s first occupied. He married a woman of this place. She died and he went to live at Otaki about 28 years ago.

The houses did not belong to 3 hapu’s. They were Hakaraia’s. Hapehapae has no houses there. Weriti has a board house at □ inside the blue line.

Te Manea have houses at □ built in 1875. After the judgement of the Native Land Court I protected with Hohaia against his building the houses. The land was let in 1874. Hohua sent a letter of protest to Hohaia against his occupation. Some of the houses at ±belonged to Hakaraia.

I have never seen the 3 hapu’s working there. Te Manea worked for eels at Maramarahoe. A path ran a crop where dotted. Te Whatanui first used it when he lived at Porotawhao. He put up a post. Weriti pulled it up not the 3 hapu’s. Te Wereti is Ngati Huia and Ngati whakahewa. Whatanui second put up a post at Ngawhakahiamoe. Te Ote Te Hoia pulled it up and took it to A. Tutakiwhatanui third put in a post at Waioroiotewera. All Ngati Huia moved this post back to A. I was there. Whatanui wanted to take the whole land bush included. The 3 hapu’s did not disturb these boundaries. They belong to Ngati Huia alone.

I have a house at □ where I live.

Rotopotako is not where is shown by Hapi. That lake dries up in summer and is where I mark o.

Te Mapau belongs to my father. Pene lived at Otaki and Waikato not at Te Mapau. He did not work there. He died at Otaki. Tangimate is my fathers. Ngati Huia alone worked there. Toromiro is an eel weir there. The 3 hapu’s have no eel weirs there. Pene never worked there.

Karokaro bush was a residence of a slave of my brother. He lived on Kahikatea berries hence the name Hape never named the land. My father lived there with Hakaraia’s father. They cultivated food there for a year. Hakaraia represented Tuwhakahewa not Hapi.

The road at Te Noti.

Te Noti was a sister of my father and of Te Weriti. They had but one father though with different mothers. Hohua was a child of theirs. Te Oti Hoia was by first wife, Riria of 2^nd and Te Weriti of 3^rd wife. Hape is not Te Noti’s sister.

East of Te Noti is karaka. Hapi’s hapu’s did not work there. Hakaraia had an old house there for flax not to claim ownership. It was my father’s land.

At Waikoere, there are now no eels. This is called Matakitaki – is bush. Wawa is a lake in it. Ngati Huia had no cultivations at Waikoere. Whakairo and Koroaputa had cultivations there.

I never saw Namana in the land at eels or weirs. He was connected with my ancestors. He went to look for eels. He went on my fathers rights. Not his own. Namana lived at Porotawhao pa a long time ago. He died at Otaki.

Wawa belongs to my father. The eels were taken there. Te Takapu was worked by my ancestors. Te Uku was an eel weir. Te Wharawara was worked by Karuaputa and others of Ngati Huia. They had potatoes there on a piece of open land.

Matiu Korou and Paora Te Nekehere cultivated there also Korohe and Tautana (a slave). These were slaves of my uncle.

I have never seen Hape or the 3 hapu’s working there.

Kouranui is a swamp. My ancestors cought eels there. My weirs are there now. At Whenga, Hakaraia has horses running and a clearing burnt off. He is principal of one section of Ngati Tuwhakahewa. Ponewahio his brother worked there. The 4 hapu’s never laid off the yellow boundary. Ngati Huia had nothing to do with it.

The blue boundary is correct. It was laid off by Ngati Huia as between them and Te Manea. The 3 hapu’s never worked between the lines that were laid down in 1879.

Paueke was the first boundary laid down by Hapi. I pulled his pegs up. We had a row and a man bled. We were advised to each lay off his boundary then the yellow line was first run out.

My father’s have always had mana over land north of blue line. No one but my father ever contested this land with Whatanui. We have always had eel baskets on Lake Te Kai o tauakuri. I and my friends worked there at eels last summer.

Matiu, Putangitangi worked at Karaka also Rupuha of Te Whakahewa. They were turned off by my father and went to Otaki 25 years ago and died there. My father grew food at Karokaro also caught eels at Tangomote and in Matakitiki bush.

At Pukehinau, there was a cultivation of Muaupoko and then my father’s Hohua let this land to Davis in 1874. Hohua was my uncle and brother to Noti. The succession was of Hohua was adjudged to my father and Wireti. Karanama objected also Hape but could not prove their case.

By Hape

There are none of your houses at = inside the plan. The boundary there, used to be a house at ý of Karaha. It is destroyed. It was at o inside the line ý is Ngati Huia’s.

Te Weriti houses were on both sides of the blue line □□.

I saw no house of Whakatoe or Hape at +. I might have been there at school. I did not see your house at x. It was Hakaraia’s.

Ngati Manea built at Ngahaere not Hapi’s people. It was called after Hakaraia’s father. Houses stood at Ngapotiki. Hutana had then built and paid. Hapi was paid for building them. I don’t know of Hapi received anything. The price was paid to Ngati Wehiwehi. These houses are new.

The mana of Te Whatanui by his conquest gave us this land. Ngati Huia got a title through enslaving Muaupoko. They drove off Te Wehiwehi. I have seen none of the 3 hapu’s working on the bush except Hakaraia’s section.

We cultivated near Karokaro. My sister married Hakaraia’s uncle. We intermarried. Te Whatanui’s mana was not on the land when before the court in 1872.

In 1873, Hapahapae and Tuwhakahewa got a title on this land. They had no ancient right. Te Manea and Ngati Huia are all that have a title to the south portion near red line.

Konganui swamp belongs to Karanama Hapahapae. It afterwards passed to Hohua through Kiriona’s mother. Epiha was my uncle. He had a house at •. I can point out my cultivations on the ground. Hape put up a house near the gate but was driven off by Te Manea.

By Assessor

I was a boy when the hapu’s came on to this land.

Ngati Huia, Ngati Manea and part Ngati Tuwhakahewa were permanently on the land at the fenced cultivations near red line at the pa’s. Hakaraia’s father and Karaha caused on to the land at the same time.

Wireti Te Ruinui – sworn

I corroborate Tamihana’s statement on the part of land which he spoke from Tangimate to the bush belongs to myself and relations.

Hape’s line is incorrect. Tuwhakahewa have no right there. Ancestors of Hakaraia have always had a right. The 3 hapu’s never had the land between the lines – from Takapu to Te Huku. Kouranui and Te Wharawhara is Tamihana’s. No one objected to his fathers’ occupation there. The bush passed into the hands of Ngati Huia - Hohua, Epiha, Hoia and Te Wiriti. That is the bush between within the blue lines.

By court

Hoia lived at Porotawhao but his cultivations were at Ngawhakahia and Matakitaki. He had Tarara’s at Matakitaki.

By Hape

Tuwhakahewa divided a very long time ago. Some went to Otaki. Some came to Porotawhao. Te Karaha did not then come to Porotawhao.

Henere Korouaputa – sworn

I support Tamihana’s statements.

Te Mapau was worked by Matai Te Hoia Ruinui also worked there also Ngati Huia, Epiha Hohua Wiriti for eels also at Tangimate and at Taromiro and at Tutai o Katairoa, Te Hapua and at Tutaki and at Tutaro’s and along the stream to Mangawhati. We were not disturbed. No one else came.

At Karokaro, we cultivated food while dressing flax. Hapi’s father came when this land was first taken.

Hakaraia Te Wera – sworn

I support Tamihana’s evidence.

Before 1839, Whatanui came and brought my father. In 1840, he came to Porotawhao. I came with others. I belong to one section of Ngati Whakahewa, Te Manea and Ngati Huia also came. We came to Porotawhao. Karokaro was a cultivation of Hoia’s and at a place near to it also at Karaka and at Waikoere and an eel lake.

Tuwhakahewa have no title to this land. The 3 hapu’s were only admitted by Ngati Huia as friends.

Court adjourned at 5 pm.

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