More Info →8 April 1868

Description

552-569

Wednesday April 8^th

Court sat at 10 am.

Present – same judges and two assessors.

Himatangi – continued

Ratana Ngahira – sworn

Rangitikei. Ngatiapa.

Matene Te Matuku is a ‘tupuna’ of mine. Have lived with Ngatiapa since I was born.

Know the district between Rangitikei and Manawatu.

Heard evidence of Hunia. It is correct as far as my own knowledge and what I heard from the chiefs. Until I was living at Kawikokopu till I grew up there was a ‘pa’ called Oahuru in the lake Kaikokopu. I lived there as a boy. It was a strong place, according to the chiefs, as it was in the water. It was fenced. Should have gone there if pressed by an enemy. It was an island. It was accessible by canoes. There were many people living there.

I know the eel ponds to which Ngatiapa resorted between Rangitikei and Manawatu - At Koputaara Te Kakiri, Kaikokopu, Otahanga, Oakura, Whare Kupenga, Whakarua Pukepuke, Rotokokopu, Rahurahu, Puketotara (not at Manawatu) an eel weir. These are all near the coast. The inland ones are Otarakaihae, Kakahuwera, Wawa Te Pehu, Te Kotuku, Omanuka, Te Kawau, Makowhai (he awa), Waimarino, Whakanekeneke, Kaimatarau, these are all I am clear about.

I was present at the meeting at Te Awahou – that was my settlement.

Heard Hunia’s evidence of yesterday about that meeting. His evidence is correct as to what I heard. I know Himatangi and that it belongs to Matene and his ‘hapu’ also to Kerei and Te Peeti of Rangitane. The Ngatiapa ‘hapu’s who are interested in Himatangi are Ngatitauira and Ngatitai. I know that Himatangi is on a sand hill. There is a bush there. I do not know that Himatangi includes all the land (Himatangi).

Te Piropiro is the name of the land between Omarupapako and Himatangi. Those who are alive and joint owners of Himatangi I know are, Matene Te Matuku, Waipouri, Mikaera, Pirika Make, Mari Komikomi, Pirihira Te Rangiteki. These are all that I know about. I know Parakaia.

(Mr. Fox wished to put the question whether Parakaia was in the habit of claiming land not belonging to him.

The court objected to putting the question. Te Ahu o Turanga. Don’t know of Parakaia. I have heard that Parakaia has lost two cases in the Native Land Court.

There is a proverb about Parakaia on the coast. “If a ‘kutu’ drops from his head on the land, he will claim it or if his huware falls on the land he will claim it”.

By Mr. Williams

I have not seen any Ngatiraukawa on the other side of Manawatu or cultivating since I can recollect. I did not see any Ngatiraukawa at Oahuru, Kaikokopu. I never saw Ngatiraukawa going there. I have heard that Ngatiraukawa used to go to Oahuru formerly but they have not done so since the time of my recollection. I did not see Ngatiraukawa living at Ohitapairu on the other side of Rangitikei. I did not see their cultivations there or at Pukoroheke also on north side. Never heard of their cultivation there. Never saw Ngatiraukawa living at Makowhai or know of their living there up to the present.

I know Pukepuke. I heard that Kingi Te Ahoaho lived there with my ‘matua’. He lived there up to the time of Te Kuititanga and then came to Otaki and remained here ever since.

The ‘roto tuna’ named by me belong to Ngatiapa. Don’t know whether Ngatiraukawa have any lakes. I have heard from my ‘matua’ that Ngatiapa ran into the bush for fear of Ngatiraukawa. I don’t know whether they (Ngatiraukawa) took the lakes, if so they would have kept them to the present day. My ‘matua’ told me that some of them had been taken captive by Ngatiraukawa. They did not tell me that Ngatiraukawa had Ngatiapa ‘pononga’ when they were living at Rangitikei. I never saw any Ngatiapa slaves with Ngatiraukawa at Rangitikei. If I had, I should perhaps have thought I was a slave myself. Never heard that Ngatiapa came back to Rangitikei by permission of Ngatiraukawa. I heard Te Peeti give his evidence about the stockyard.

Ihakara – I have heard that he claims land at Himatangi. The people of Te Peeti (Rangitane) ought to know whether he has land there or not. I live at Rangitikei and don’t know.

I know Himatangi is a sand hill. Pointed out to me when I have been going to Puketotara (sketch of Himatangi block shown to witness – who recognized the land).

I heard from the Puketotara that there were people cultivating on the baks of Manawatu between Whitirea and Pakingahau. Matene is a relative of mine. I heard that he had cultivated formerly before Ngatiraukawa came and while they were at Otaki.

I did not hear that Matene was working with Rangitane. Matene has been living at Rangitikei since I have been grown up and has come backwards and forwards to Koputaara to catch eels.

Don’t know whether Ihakara has land at Kaikokopu. Don’t know whether he has land at Pukepuke and Oao. He has no land at these places. He has none at Tawhirihoe. I don’t know that Ihakara had any land in the Rangitikei.

Kawana Hunia did come here to get a section in the town. He did not get it (referring to a case in Native Land Court).

I have no land on this side of Manawatu but some ‘hapu’s of Ngatiapa have claims on this side.

By court

Don’t know who invented the proverb (about Parakaia). Heard it first at Rangitikei. Heard it first from Hunia. It was after the meeting when the land, (Rangitikei Manawatu block) was handed over to Dr. Featherstone.

Did not hear whether the Oahuru people went into the bush when the others went. Ngatiapa are not occupying now but are living near the shore of the Kaikokopu lake. Hunia has a house and I have a house at Pukepuke which I keep in repair. It ceased to be occupied as a ‘pa’ at the time of the introduction of Christianity. Long after Mr. Hadfield came.

I was a boy at the time about 3 feet high. I know all the eel ponds named by me. I and my father’s have taken eels there. The Ngatiraukawa who I heard, went to Oahuru, went to catch eels there. I don’t know where Matene Te Matuku was when Ngatiraukawa began to cultivate on the Manawatu between Whitirea and Moutoa.

Court adjourned at 12.15 to 1.45 pm.

Court resumed at 1.45 pm.

Hamuera Te Raikokiritia, Rangitikei, Ngatiapa.

I remember time of blanket treaty. I was a teacher at that time. Had been appointed by Mr. Williams Senior on his first coming. The 2^nd coming was when he brought the treaty. I was living at Parewanui. He came up the coast. He was at Oahuru on Kaikokopu on his way. I knew Oahuru, when Mr. Williams came up, there was a ‘pa’ and people were living in it – a strong ‘pa’. He went up with Hakeke to Parewanui to the ‘whakapono’. Mr. Williams came again after an absence of 6months or a year, he came to Tawhirihoe, I signed my name as a teacher. Mr. Williams did not tell me it was the treaty. We signed our names, Te Hakeke and Hori Te Hanea, and I signed and got a blanket. We told him to go to Parewanui to get Mohi’s and Paora Turangapito’s signatures. We got 3 blankets at Tawhirihoe and at Whanganui mau got one making 4 in all. The presents he brought when he came the first time were testaments and books of ‘karakia’. Oahuru was often visited by me between the visits of Mr. Williams. It was the settlement of my cousin Te Hakeke.

Mr. Hadfield has never been to Oahuru. I have heard evidence of Hunia and Ratana. Their evidence is correct. I am older than either of them. I know about the leases, cultivations of Ngatiapa at that time were Tawhirihoe at Te Whatiwhati Taiepa Pukekukupo – Te Awahou ‘pa’ and cultivation, Hinemoa at Parakau, Korakonui, Potakataka, Pukekura, Makowha, Kaitoke, Takirihitau, Pohueroa, Matahiwi, Te Poia a tuna, Pawerawera, Mangawhero, Puakohanga, Rangataua, Pukekokeke, Te Karaka a ‘pa’ and cultivation up the Rangitikei, Te Kapuiro Otapatu, Matahiwi (another) Onepuehu, Waituna, Te Pohue, Te Mamaku, Pikitara ‘pa’ and cultivation, Waitapu old ‘pa’ and cultivation. This takes up to the boundary of the government purchase. These are all the Rangitikei cultivations. Will tell the cultivations at Oroua.

Commencing at the north – Puketotara. I can’t speak of Kerei and Te Peeti’s cultivations above Puketotara but will speak of mine higher up. Mangawhata is a place for taking eels and a cultivation, Te Ruahine same, Ngakou same, Nga Koromatua, Te Pakapu, Te Rotonui a Hau eel place and cultivation, Tapuae o Takiri, Tiniwera, Te Rangiora, Te Putaanga a large kainga, Oteawhi Whakaito, Whangapatiki, Titipirau, Tangaroawhetu, Te Matehe, pa and cultivation, Te Kopani, Apiapi, Tekatea, Te Kini, Haowhenua, Rakautatahi, Karangatiko ‘pa’ and cultivation, Hokirua, Aungawha, Te Upoko o tini, Nga Whakatete, Tautaranui, Te Awahuri ‘pa’ and cultivation, Ngawahine kaiiwi, Te Korpiro, Te Kohanga, Te Paikai, Te Hinauahapainga ‘pa’ and cultivation, Tuki-a-poaka, Otawhiri o te ririki, Kahukore, Karitake – Te Ruapuwha, Wai o te hawhe, Oturoriki, Pariroa a ‘maninga’ on which my ancestors had a ‘pa’. There is cultivation at foot – Te Paate.

These cultivations between Puketotara and Omarupapako to the sea – Himatangi Matene’s cultivation. There are no cultivations at Omarupapako but eels and ‘kiekie’. Te Houarangi a cultivation of Matene’s not far from Paepae. The Ngatiapa were using all these places up to the time of Mr. Williams coming and up to the time of the sale to the crown. Natives do live in ‘pa’s and go backwards and forwards to cultivate.

I was at the Awahou, at the meeting about sale of North Rangitikei. The evidence of Hunia and Ratana about that meeting it is correct. If they had stated anything wrongly I should have corrected.

Mr. Hadfield was with Mr. Williams at the visit to Tawhirihoe with the blankets. I saw Mr. Hadfield there for the first time.

By Mr. Williams

Matene Te Matuku and his people were at Himatangi when Mr. Williams went up with the blankets. I saw them on their way to Himatangi from Rangitikei. They slept at Kaputaara. Did not actually see them cultivate. He was at Himatangi at the time of the treaty and he got eels at Koputaara.

I have not seen a sketch of Himatangi block (as claimed by Parakaia) until now.

Witness recognized boundaries as shown on sketch and observed that the sketch included a great deal more than Himatangi – that there are other places included.

The year before the last instalment of purchase money for North Rangitikei, Matene left Himatangi and went to Koputaara between Kaikokopu and Kaiiwi. Matene Te Matuku lived at Himatangi and cultivated up to time of sale of North Rangitikei.

I did not see any Ngatiraukawa there up to that time. Have heard that Ihakara and his people had gone up to Matene’s cultivation. Heard this from Matene – the same year – Ngatiapa were cultivating all the places named by me when Ngatiraukawa first went to Rangitikei.

When Whatanui came and settled at Otaki, there were 400 ‘tane’ of Ngatiapa. The cultivations I have named were some in cultivation and some were not. They had all been in cultivation in the time of our fathers. Ngatiapa ran away but not clean away. When Whatanui came, they left all the ‘pa’s except Otakapou they collected there. It is a large ‘pa’ between Turakina and Rangitikei.

I am telling the truth when I say that Archdeacon Hadfield has not been there. Some of Ngatiapa, I can’t speak to all Ngatiraukawa. I can tell all the names of the Ngatiraukawa who were in the Rangitikei Manawatu block after Haowhenua. They were Nepia Taratoa, Haerewharara and Horomona, Taiaho (Nepia’s brother) Aperahama Te Huruhuru, Rangimaui Wereta Te Waha, Te Rongo, Te Kakahi. These are all I know of. They first went to Te Ika-te-mate at Waituna up the Rangitikei. These were Parewahawaha. Te Whata chief of Ngatikauhata and his ‘teina’ and ‘tamariki’ were living at Oroua before Haowhenua. They were but a small party.

It was through my father Te Raikokiritia that they went there. He was fond of Te Whetu because he was the man who caught my mother. I have admitted that we ran into the bush for fear of guns. You ask Tapa Te Whata if he called me out of the bush. When the North Rangitikei block was sold we were all living on this side of the Rangitikei and at Oroua. There were no Ngatiraukawa but Te Ranga?, whose wife was a Ngatiapa woman. When they first went they lived at Te Awa with Ngatiapa (Nepia and his friends). They cultivated there.

After the sale of North Rangitikei, Ngatiapa lived on that side and on this side of Rangitikei. They lived at Te Awahou on this side, 2 miles up, and had cultivations round about the ‘pa’ and some on the other side of Rangitikei. Te Whatiwhati – lower down on this side, was another cultivation. These are all the cultivations of potatoes on this side. There were eels taken. Pakapakatea, an old cultivation of ancestors, which we again cultivated after sale of North Rangitikei block - There were only a few persons there. There were 48 of us who went backwards and forwards between Parewanui and the places named.

I know the boundary of the Rangitane land included in Rangitikei Manawatu block. It is at Taikoria. The cultivations named by me on the Rangitikei side are all in the Rangitikei Manawatu block. Those on the Oroua side were on both sides of Oroua.

Ngatiapa owned the lands on this side of Otaki formerly belonged to Muaupoko and Horowhenua also Muaupoko owned the land from Porirua and up to Waiarawa on this side of Manawatu thence to Manawatu where Ngatiapa and Muaupoko. Muaupoko in land – they are now Ngatitoa.

By court

There was not a ‘pa’ at Himatangi. There were 20 of Matene’s people there, at the time of the sale of Rangitikei. Oahuru was deserted at the time when Whatanui came. While Ngatiraukawa were at Kapiti they returned. There were 10 men of Ngatiapa living at Oroua at the time of the sale of North Rangitikei block. They had no ‘pa’. These were all. There were 80 at Te Awahou. There was no one at Koputaara. It was winter.

Further hearing adjourned till tomorrow.

Court adjourned at 4.30 pm to 8 pm.

Court sat at 8 pm.

Present – Thos H Smith, B White – Judges and same assessors

Hurihangataitoko No. 2 – Ururoa Ripia

Ururoa Ripia appeared. Land surveyed by Mr. Swainson

George Frederick Swainson – L. S – sworn

I produce plan – produced – a3 – r1 – p0. Usual evidence as to survey and plan. Ururoa is my employer. Boundaries pointed out by Natanahira Te Waro in the presence of Ururoa. Distinctly marked on the ground and rules of court observed.

Survey not interrupted but while survey was being made, Tamihana Te Rauparaha came and asserted his claim to the whole of the land but he stated that he should leave it for the court to decide. I believe that Oriwia Hurumutu also asserted some claim. She threatened to interrupt the survey but did not.

I cannot speak positively as to the extent of her claim. I believe she asserts a claim to the whole of Paremata flat of which this is a portion, on the south it joins a previous survey made by Mr. Hughes for Roera Te Ahu who has not yet sent in application.

Ururoa Ripia – sworn

Otaki, Ngatihuia. I claim Hurihangataitoko. I was present at the survey.

Witness describes boundaries of land as shown on plan before the court.

The land I claim is my own only. The names of Natanahira and Piripi are not joint owners of this land. These names were wrongly put in the application. I did not direct that the names should be put in. It was Natanahira who wrote the application.

I apply for a certificate in my own name only. I occupied this land the year after Haowhenua 1837. My house, Hurihangataitoko stood close to the land on the piece which Hokipera has got a certificatefor. It was a ‘patohe’ of Ngatitoa who left it at Haowhenua. I occupied it up to the time of our coming to live in the town of Otaki. Have not cultivated since. Cultivated and occupied every year from the commencement up to coming to live at Otaki. No one has cultivated it since.

Objectors challenged.

Tamihana Te Rauparaha appeared as counter claimant.

Oriwia Hurumutu appeared as counter claimant.

Oriwia Hurumutu – sworn

Otaki, Ngatitoa.

I recognize the land on the plan before the court. This land belonged to my father Tungia. When Rauparaha came here the second time, Tungia ‘taunahatia’ this land and after that cultivated it for 3 years.

We lived at Te Pakakuta. When we (Ngatitoa) first came from Kawhia we went first to Kapiti and from there we came here and gave a feast of fish to Muaupoko and then taunaha’d the land. We then returned to Kapiti . When Ngatiraukawa came, we came back from Kapiti with them. Rauparaha went to Katihiku and Tungia and his party came to the Pakakuta. It was then, that land was cultivated. Cultivated 3 years and the 3^rd year planted and went to Kapiti before the fight ‘ka ara te pakanga’ and we could not return.

We joined the Ngatiawa side. When Ngatiraukawa sent for allies from Waikato and other tribes in the north, my ‘teina’ Amiria Te Ruatahua was with Rauparaha on the Ngatiraukawa side. Was wife to Te Matata. She is dead. She came back from Ohau with the party who were fetched after Haowhenua and remained at Otaki until the death of her husband and then joined us at Kapiti. She cultivated the land I claim. I used to come and see her and her husband’s mother (‘hungawai’) Te Hopenui at work cultivating there. Did not see Ururoa there. Don’t know how many years she cultivated before her husband died.

It is my claim is founded on this. Te Hopenui was a Ngatiraukawa woman and a relation of Ururoa’s. Te Karera is a relative of mine ‘tarua’ of one of Tungia’s cousins. He and Nopera and Hohepa Tamaihangia are the persons who are jointly interested in this land, they cultivated during the 3 years I refer to.

I came to Otaki in 1859 and up to this time, I never saw Ururoa cultivating this land. No one has cultivated it since I came here. I ceased to come backwards and forwards after my sister joined us at Kapiti. I never heard of anyone cultivating the land after her, Te Hopenui was living when my sister left. Te Matata died a natural death. There were no children.

Xed by Ururoa

I was not here at the time of the treaty. When I came back from Porirua after Haowhenua, my sister was there cultivating. I did not see you there.

By court

I saw a house there but did not know it was your house. I supposed it was Te Hopenui’s house.

Further hearing adjourned till tomorrow at 8 pm.

(Continued at pp 589 see next book).

Court adjourned at 10 pm till tomorrow.

Identification