Maori Land Ccourt Friday Nov. 29th 1872.
Present:
His Honor Judge Rogan
His Honor Judge Smith
Interpreter: T. Young
Clerk: M Frey
Assessor: H. Tautau
Court opened at 10.a.m.
Peeti Aweawe - omitted to say a few words which I said to Mr Mclean. I asked him about the Maupoko fire which is alight at Arapaipai at the back of Manawatu and what about the fire of the Rangitani which is alight below Kaihinu and what about my fire alight below Mangawharawhara.
Mr Mclean replied - as I stated yesterday the boundary of the land sold to the crown in upper Manawatu was fixed by me. The boundary from Tuwhakatupua and Mangawarawara was fixed by Ngatiraukawa.
We who own the land did not agree to accept that boundary. After this meeting with Mr. Mclean, I got a letter asking me to go and see Ngatirakau and I asked my tribe to go.
My people asked what the letter meant. I said perhaps they want to fix a boundary and perhaps they wish us to agree to a boundary.
The Rangitani said, we will not go to fix a boundary or to agree to one because we are not willing that other tribes should interfere with our land and cut it up.
As it is you, go and take Huru with you to hear what the Ngatirakau have to say.
When I got to Papakiri, Parakaia Chief of Ngatiraka handed over Tuwhakatupua to me and he asked that a boundary should be laid off there. I said to Parakaia I wont agree to it because Waitaiapa is the boundary of my land which you have presumed to occupy. I shall return home.
Ater that Rangitani, Muaupoko and Whanganui and the half castes of Whanganui went
there to sell Tararua. They wanted to sell my reserve's of 62,000 acres which was passed through the court at Masterton.
I went up to stop their selling it and Booth gave them no money.
They asked for money for Harrangi. I said to the Government Commissioner, don't pay any money, on account of this land, it is in dispute. The Commissioner did not pay attention to what I told him, so I said to my tribe I will receive some money on your account. The five tribes were all represented there.
I took some money on account of Tuwhakatupua. I received ₤200 on account. The land appears now on the plan as land upon which I have borrowed money from the Queen.
The part that Aweawe gave to Rangihewea at Manawapo I did not sell, it is on the south side of the river.
The boundaries of this piece commenced at the Manawatu River, thence to Ngapeaka, thence to Ratahi, thence to Makurirua, thence to Te Tahanga and thence along the Manawatu River to Te Akeake and Manawapo and thence to Ngapiaka.
I will now go to what Ihakara said about the boundaries. I am not aware of the boundary of Awaturanga block is wrong. Ngatirakau went up to Tuwhakatupua some considerable time after Haowhenua. It was before the Kahuititanga.
I have had no dispute with Ngatirakau after my sister planted potatoes there because they were not living there.
Ihakara has stated that Ngatiraukau boundary was at Whangaehu.
These tribes do not admit that boundary and that is why Hakeke was able to sell all that block of land as far down as Rangitikie.
All Ngataraukawa did was to carry out what Hakeke said about the sale when they found that this land was sold. They said their boundary was at Rangitikie.
Hirawana sold the
land from Ahuaturangu to Tawhitikuri. Hirawanui was urging for 10 years to sell this land but my parents of Rangitani objected to his selling it.
Ngatiraukawa also objected when Governor Grey saw what Hirawanui was doing in selling the whole of the land.
He told him he must fix some place for your sale Hirawanui then came to see Rangitani, he met Hoani Meihana, Te Aweawe/ Te Kerie Te Tauau, Tiwheta, Peeti Te Awe Awe, he asked
Meihana and Awe Awe to arrange about the sale.
I think the Governor is right in what he says. Awe Awe said yes let us consider (undecipherable) our tribe Ngatiraukawa because portions of this land were given by our parents to Ngatiraukawa. Let the boundary of the land to be sold commence at Rangipiko and thence to Manawharawhara, thence to Arawaru and now you consult to what I say.
Hirawanu said he would, he said also hearken Hoani Meihani and Te Awe Awe.
I have conceded to your desire I intended to sell all the land occupied by Maori's as far as Tawatitekuri at Porirua.
If Ngatiraukawa behave well so far so good but if they attempted to sell the land I will sell the whole of it.
After I have sold all the land and finished my disputes I shall go to Wellington and dispute with the Government about Wellington and the Middle Island
although Ngatitoa and Ngatiawa have sold the land I shall apply to Government as other tribes have sold (gap in transcript) Hirawanu word is still held in remembrance by us and Ngatikahungu.
The Awatiranga block was sold to the Government. After this sale Ngatiapa sold the land between Manawatu and Rangitikie. Ngatiraukawa did not think of their boundary at Rangitikie then or perhaps they would have interfered to prevent the sale to protect their boundary.
Some joined with Ngatiapa in selling the block. The boundaries they speak of are not connected yet they know they will not get it. They know it is the original owners who will sell it to the Europeans.
The Rangitikie Manawatu block was sold for ₤25,000 and Raukawa got ₤10000, Ngatiapa ₤10000 and ₤5000 for Rangitani. Ngataapa seized ₤4100 the Rangitani got ₤900.
I have been asking the Government to pay me the ₤4100. Mr Mclean agreed to do it when he was at Bulls. That he would arrange for it out of sales of land by Ngatiapa.
After that statement the Paraikaretui block belonging to Ngatiapa was sold. He paid the money to the Ngatiapa but he did not remember the promise he made to us.
I claim all the land in this block of land now before the court through Tereoterangi an ancestor of mine. The boundary commencing at Wellington and extending to Whanganui was in former times occupied by the descendents of Tereoterangi the court knows my enemy is Ngatitoa. The last fight we had with Ngatitoa and Ngatiaira was at Haowhenua we were on the same side as Ngatiraukawa.
Cross examined by Hari Wirikaki
I am a witness in favor of the five tribes.
I object to the Ngatiraukawa claim to this land.
I admit the claims of several hapus on this land.
I admit Watanui to Raumatangi at Horowhenua also Ngatihuia to Porotawhao.
I know the boundary of the Ngatihua land at Porotawhao.
The boundary is at Motokorua it is disputed boundary between Muaupoko and Ngatihuia.
I have said nothing in my evidence about the boundary.
I was concerned on laying off the boundary of the disputed land between Ngatihuia and Muaupoko. I fixed the boundary at Ngatakura it is a stream.
I can point it out on the map.
We have settlements at Horowhenua and Manawatu, Whanganui, Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa.
I know the land called Mirokino on the south side of the river that land was not given by our ancestors to Raukawa they took it.
We were not present at the investigation to the title of that land. I saw no notification as to the Court going to sit with regard to that land.
I received no notice about Huritini. If i had received notice I would have gone and objected.
I have heard who it was gave Ngatihuia Porotawhao (Hoani Meihana (in margin))
I have only heard of the names of the boundaries given.
We were all fighting together against one another but (by the court (in margin))
when an enemy came from the north we united and fought against them.
There is no boundary between Rangitani and Muaupoko we were all one tribe.
Court rose for ½ an hour at 12am.
Keri Te Panau (sworn) I live at Manawatu and belong to the Five Tribes. I know the land described in the plan now before the court.
When Te Whetu's people were to return to Waikawa Te Kohu of Ngatiwehiwehi was the one who remained at Manawatu. When Whetu knew how long he had to live he said Te Kohu you must go back to Waikawa. I am going to return Taunui to Rangitani.
Those whom he appointed to stay and look after him were Te Reihana, Turanga, Mokina, Hauwa, Poihipi, Kaiteraha (who is dead) the others are living now.
About Manawharawhara boundary. We agreed that that should be the boundary of Hirawanu's sale.
The boundary commenced at Rotopiko thence to Mangawharawhara and thence to Arawaru where it turns and runs along the
mountain. The land to the southward we retained for ourselves the owners and not for any other tribe. This is all I have to say Peeti has said all.
The Assessor
I know the evidence which has been given by the persons preceeding me.
When Rauparaha came here he found us living on the land now under investigation.
We fought here and Kemp and Huria have told you who were killed.
I am not able to state whether those tribes (Rauparaha's) came here to take the country.
I am too young.
The fightings which took place subsequently to this was about land and about those who had been killed.
Ihaia Whakamairu - Karaitiana Korou substitute for Ihaia.
Karaitiana Koronoterangi (sworn) I live at Wairarapa and belong to Hamua tribe and the rest of the Five Tribes.
I know the land now before the court.
We claim (Ngatikahungu) through our ancestor who has been mentioned by Keepa.
This ancestor was Kupe.
I shall show our descent from Raniaraia - where every branch off from that given by Kemp.
Rangiaraia
Te Aunui
Kuratepa
Te Raikaumoana
Inarangi
Inaterarorangi
Te Hina
Te Rangitekerehu
Tumatakokoi
Hohana (my mother)
Karaitiana te korou
The brother of Te Hina was Matangihuru.
The Arapaipai was the place where he cooked his eels.
Whakapapa was the road which leads to Horowhenua on one side and Ruamahanga on the other.
Muaupoko are entitled to bear the name of Hamua as well as those in the Wairarapa.
Rakaimoana with Inarauriki - their child was Inarangi she lived with Tamahau of Rangitani. Their child was Hinetearorangi she lived with Te Namaiteawha of Ngatikahungu.
Their children were Te Hina and Matangiuru.
Te Hina lived with a woman called Tapu, she is buried at Kouturoa, Horowhenua.
Their child was Rangitaikereru.
The child of Ranitaikereru was Tumatakokohia whose child was my mother.
Inawariki was a Muaupoko.
That shows the connection of Mamua with other tribes.
The boundary along the ridge (the Tararua) is the boundary of the lands we sold to the Government on the Wairarapa side.
The Northern boundary is the boundary of the land we sold Rangitani and us.
I am not going to speak of fights which took place on the other side only those that took place on the block now before the court.
Our ancestor killed a Ngatiraukawa at Wia?
Some of the fights are those described by Kemp which caused Rauparaha to go to Kapiti.
When we sold the lands I have spoken of to the Government we retained this portion we were not defeated by Ngatiawa, Ngatitoa or Ngatiraukawa in our battles with them.
We beat them on every occasion.
There were three defeats for which these tribes did not seek revenge on account of christianity being introduced.
We fought at Omakukara with Raukawa on their own territory, they did not seek revenge for this.
Cross examined by Hari Wirikaki
I have not seen Te Rauparaha but I have heard of him. I heard that he came down on the land now
Before the court he was fighting when he came here and I heard afterwards some Ngatiraukawa's.
The reason Te Rauparaha came was from fear of Waikato.
The Ngatiraukawa migrated here.
We don't (know) why they came at the time Ngatiraukawa came we were living at Ruamahanga our relatives were living here.
We were able to keep the lands from Raukawa we joined together and drove Rauparaha off to Kapiti.
We have never ceased to occupy this land our mothers, sisters, brothers, papu's and tribes, they were living in a state of independence and it was through this that they were able to give Watanui that piece of land.
I state positively that the Ngatiraukawa did not gain this land by conquest as you assert.
My tribe Ngatikahungu did not run away to Nukutaurua on account of Raukawa coming to take revenge for Wia.
Matiaha Mokai (sworn)
I live at Greytown. I belong to Ngatikahungu and the other tribes.
I know the land described on the plan now before the court.
We were attacked by Ngatiawa and were attacked by them in return we gained the last battle.
Wharepouri escaped from us and we took his wife and children prisoners and our return to Nukutaurua. This was the last fight we subsequently made peace with Wharepouri.
Some of the Ngatikahungu remained at Wairarapa while others were at Nukutaurua.
Te Puakawe was killed at Wellington (the Hutt) by the Ngatikahungu. That was shortly after the capture of Wharepouri's wife and children.
There was no revenge taken for these things. I was grown up at the time they occurred.
Ngatikahungu went to Nukukaurua principally to get guns. When we got guns we went to Waikato and fought at Omakukara with Ngatiraukawa. Omakukara was a Pah
Some of them, the Raukawa were killed and others taken prisoners and some of those are now in court.
After that we came back to Wairarapa and there had the fight with Wharepouri.
We came back quietly in consequence of the introduction of christianity.
Wharepouri proposed the peace making to prevent us coming back to fight him. He went to Nukutaurua to make peace - his children had been sent down from there before he went up.
I object to the Ngatiraukawa having any claim to this land never mind how long they occupied part of it.
My desire to drive off Ngatiraukawa was when we came to Nukutaurua and that desire remains still.