Thursday March 5th
Court sat at 10 am.
Present – Judge Henry Smith and assessors.
Pahianui No. 2 – Onehumu Atu tahi and others
Onehumu appeared.
Land surveyed by Mr. Swainson.
George Frederick Swainson – Licensed surveyor – Sworn.
Produced plan of claim. Evidence as to survey plan and boundaries marked. Rules of court observed. Employed by Hakaraia Ngahue, on behalf of Onehumu and by Natauahira. Boundaries printed out by Hakaraia and Natauahira. There was an interruption of survey on last portion by Piripi Rangi ata hua. Subsequently Piripi and Natauahira put in the pegs at the points A, B, C, and D on the map. I understood that to have been a settlement of the dispute between Piripi and Natauahira but I have since understood that Piripi intends to put in a counter claim over the whole. The land on the south side is claimed by Tamihana. His claim has been surveyed by me and it does not encroach or conflict with that before the court. The land on the local side is claimed by Hape. Surveyed by Mr. Knight and does not conflict with Onehumu’s claim. I pointed out the west boundary to Mr. Knight and he told me it was identical with his. The subdivisional boundaries E, G and F, H were pointed out to me by Natauahira and Hakaraia as boundaries agreed on between the parties whose names are written on the plan.
Onehumu Atu tahi – Sworn.
Otaki. Ngatiraukawa. Kikopiri recognizes land shown on map. The boundaries shown are the boundaries agreed on by the parties interested. I wish the court to order 4 certificates for this land only for the portion marked ‘a’.
Pahianui No. 2 - Grantees proposed by Onehumu for ‘a’.
Onehumu Atu tahi – for the piece marked ‘b’.
For ‘b’ Marie Rangiherea
Natauahira Te Waro
Natauahira will speak to the other pieces. The land belonged to Te Rauparaha. He gave it to Te Whatanui. Te Whatanui gave it to Te Paneiri of Ngatikahungungu. This was before I came here. After this I came - my heke. We came from Rotorua, Ohinemutu. When we came, I took the piece I claim. Paneiri had gone away. I took possession not 10 years before we came to Otaki. It was after Wairau. I cultivated. I cleared it of bush and built a wooden house which was afterwards brought to this place. I continued to cultivate up to about 3 years back. It was shortly after Wairau that our ‘heke’ came. No one interfered with me while I was cultivating.
Objectors challenged.
Hape appeared to object. Stated that he objected to Natauahira as interested in ‘b’. Admitted claim of Marie.
Natauahira Te Waro – Sworn.
Otaki. Ngatiraukawa. Claims part of the land shown on this plan (points out ‘c’ and ‘d’), I wish a grant for these pieces to 4 persons.
Proposed by Natauahira Te Waro
for ‘c’ and ‘d’ Natauahira Te Waro
Te Akau
Rina Rarohaere ora
Haimona Hokinoa
The piece marked ‘b’ belongs to Marie. Claim ‘c’ and ‘d’ because the ‘matua’s’of Rina and Te Akau and cleared it. They were Eraia and Hakiaha, Te Kiho, Hokinoa Raharuhi Pururu. Theses were of Ngatituara. They came with Te Tuahu. He took possession of a piece of land and these people formed part of his following and took possession of the portion claimed. Eraia is dead. Rina is his daughter also Hariata. She is at Rotorua and Raiha. Hakiaha is dead. Te Katene is his son. He is at Rotorua and Ihaia also at Rotorua. Te Keho is at Manawatu. Hokinoa is at Rotorua. Raharuhi is dead. He has left 3 children. Te Aku and Rina are cousins. Their mothers were sisters. I claim as having been left in charge by the owners who are gone to Rotorua.
Moewaru stated, I am the mother of Marie. She is at Porotawhao. I am of Ngatiraukawa. I claim a portion of Pahianui as given to me by Te Rauparaha.
Ururoa appeared. I have seen the land shown on the plan and the surveyor’s marks. That land belonged to Te Whatanui. He gave part of it to Te Tuahu. That portion which Natauahira claims, Rauparaha had nothing to do with it. The persons named by Natauahira as having occupied were of Te Tuahu’s party. The land (‘a’ and ‘b’) was given by Whatanui to Te Upoko iri to Matiu Te Tohe. He gave it to Te Horohau. Hape’s father. Horohau allowed Onehumu to cultivate. He is a relative of Horohau’s and Moewaru and her husband Te Raturoa. Parents of Marie Te Raturoa. There are other children. Erihapete, Taongauru.
Rina Raharuhi – Sworn.
Ohinemutu of Ngatituara. I am the widow of Raharuhi Pururu. I am the daughter of Eraia. There are 3 of Raharuhi’s children living. Their names are Hepora Pururu, Pua Pururu, Te Hatepe Pururu. Raharuhi left his land to me.
It was ordered that a certificate of the title
· of Onehumu Atu tahi to Pahianui No. 2 ‘a’ a1 – r0 – p0
· of the title of Marie Te Rangihue and Erihapeti Taongauru to Pahianui No. 2 ‘b’ r3 – p33
· of the title of Rina Pururu, Hariata Maihina, Raiha Maihina, Te Katene Motunau, Ihaia Motunau, Kipihana Te Keho and Ahitana Hokinoa to Pahianui No. 2 ‘c’ a2 – r1 – p38 and ‘d’ a1 – r2 – p1
be made and issued to the governor.
Court to recommend no restrictions.
Fees demanded Invest £1 Explan 10/- 3 Cert £3 3 Grants £3 Total £7 – 10-0
Grantees of ‘a’ Onehumu £2 – 10 – 0 Grantees of ‘b’ Marie and another £2 – 10 – 0
Grantees of ‘c’ and ‘d’ Rina and others £2 – 10 – 0
Mr. Swaison applied to the court to notify the charge of £2 – 2 – 0 for survey of ‘c’ and ‘d’ as due and unpaid.
Ordered accordingly.
Court adjourned at 1 pm.
Court resumed at 2 pm.
Huritini – Parakaia Te Pouepa and others
Parakaia Te Pouepa appeared.
Land surveyed by Mr. Hughes.
John Hughes – Sworn – Stated
I produce a sketch of the Huritini claim. It is not a plan prepared in accordance with the rules of the N L court. The boundary lines on the north and east have not been claimed in consequence of being interrupted while attempting to make the survey. The points marked A and B on the sketch were fixed by Triangulation. The lines 1A – AB – BC and GH not claimed by me. I was opposed while claiming the whole of the other boundaries. Kiharoa and Ngatiwehiwehi opposed me on the north and east boundary. Rota Rawiri and Rota opposed me on the lines south of the tribal boundary line.
Parakaia Te Pouepa – Sworn.
Otaki. Ngatituranga. Ngatiraukawa. Recognises land shown on sketch. Traces boundaries as shown in application. This land belongs to 3 hapus. Ngati te au, Ngatituranga and Ngatiraukawa and apply for a certificate in favor of ‘A’.
‘A’ Hurititini
Grantees proposed by Parakaia – Ngatituranga
· Parakaia Te Pouepa
· Te Roera Rangiheuea
· Te Roiri Rangiheuea
· Hakopa Te Mahau Ariki
Ngati te au
· Hakopa Te Tehe
· Mirika Hineiwahia
· Pitihira Te Kuru
· Arapata Te Whioi
Ngatiraukawa
· Hemara Mataaho
· Nirai Ngatuma
· Ihaka Nga Mura
These persons I have named are not all who are interested but “kei enei te whakaaro”. We claim this land. The claim of Ngati te au rests on this ‘Na Te Whetu, of Ngatitoa I whakaatu ki a Ngati te au’. The land was his by conquest. It formed part of his portion. When Ngati te au came, they came to Te Whetu at Kapiti and after a time he came with them to this land and occupied the west portion of the block claimed by me. This was in 1830. Ngatiawa were there at this time. They went away after. A boundary was printed out to Ngati te au to Te Kuru by Te Whetu as the boundary between him and Te Hiko of Ngatitoa. Ngatiawa were not then expelled but were holding on to the land. The south west boundary of my claim remained about 4 months and then returned to Waikanae and some of the Ngatiawa also went to Waikanae. Ater they left, we the Ngatituranga came and Ngati Kikopiri and Ngatipakau, Ngati huia. We went to this land and occupied the west end of the block claimed by me. This was the same year – 1830. Soon after, Ngati te au left. Got flax and took it to Kapiti and Otaki to sell. This ended the occupation and we went to Whanganui to fight having acquired arms and ammunition. Whanganui was beaten and we returned. This was 1831. We came back to Otaki and remained. Did not return till after planting season when Ngati te au and Ngatituranga returned to get flax and Ngati te au cultivated. Cultivated in 3 places, (marked ü on plan). Got flax and then the following winter went to Heretaunga to fight Ngati Kahungungu. After this, Ngatiraukawa rose in a body and drove out the Ngatiawa from Horowhenua and burnt their houses. All Ngatiawa cleared out after this and went to Waikanae except two hapu’s. Ngatirahiri and Ngatikura who ‘whakamanawanui’ and held on at wai o runga mai and Ngatikura held on at a place a little north of the block claimed by me. After a time these went also and left the place clear for Ngatiraukawa. The third time of going, Ngatiraukawa joined and the 3 hapu’s named by me were the only ‘hapu’s’ who went on this occasion. Next summer, another ‘heke’ of Ngatiraukawa came from Maungatautari ‘ko te heke of Horoiti and Taraia of Ngatimuru and my father and then an expedition went to Ngaitahu with the arms and ammunition procured with the proceeds of the flax. Procured in the third flax gathering. On the return from Ngaitahu, the 3 hapu’s went and occupied permanently. At the west end of block and two fresh tribes, Ngatipare and Te Mate Ki Waho joined us. They occupied on the south of the boundary. That is Hiko’s land, a 6th tribe, Ngati Kapu. 3 persons occupied a position on Huritini lake. We then ‘mahi i te tuna’ of the lakes in our portion and the other tribes on their portion and we ‘whakapa ‘ed’ them for Te Hiko, as Te Whetu was gone to Nelson. This was in 1833. Then began the fighting with Ngatiawa. We then withdrew to Ohau and Manawatu and the 3 tribes ceased to come here for flax. This was in 1835. On the return from Manawatu in 1835, we came to Otaki and did not go to Huritini except to get eels. The 3 hapus did go for that purpose and that only. After that we returned to Manawatu and in 1836 came back to Otaki and again got eels only from Huritini. In the year 1836, Ngatiraukawa took possession of Kopureherehe, a place which we had begun to clear in 1833 and left to go to fight Ngatiawa. The Ngatimai Otaki and the hapus of Ngatiraukawa cultivated to 1839. I saw the ‘mahanga’s’ in that year. That was the year of the ‘kuititanga’. We, Ngatiraukawa were customed by Ngatiawa at Waikanae. After the ‘kuititanga’ we went to Manawatu, leaving only the 3 old now, Te Morere and two others (Ngati Kahu) at Huritini lake. It was Te Kuru who put these 3 in occupation and Te Rauranaki and Tonihi came and ‘awhina’d’ these ‘Koroheke kei pana’. In 1846, Toka and others came to eject these ‘koroheke’ and broke the hinakis. Pirihi and Rauranaki were there and they would not allow it. Toka’s eels were eaten by the ‘hapu’ of Te Rauranaki. After this, he came to me to Otaki to get eels from that place brought by these old men. After this Ngatimai Otaki used to come to Te Roto Mokai and the ‘roto’s’ on the east side of the block. They probably did this from the time of occupying Kopureherehe. In 1852 Horopapera Paora Poho ti Raha – Ngati te ihi ihi went to Te Rotorapu to get flax. I heard of this and went with Kiharoa and Hanara and put in a ‘pou’ as a ‘rohe’ and ‘pou’s’ up to Puketi. This was an old ‘rohe’ from Puketi to Patuna. A ‘rohe’ dividing it from Ngatiraukawa and from Patuna to Te Ahi a Hatana from Tohutohu’s party. It was fixed by Te Kuru, Rangiheuea and myself. Horopapera complained “pou ana ki runga ki te tumuaki o te tangata”. I then understood that the land was claimed and we have been disputing ever since. It was proposed to lease the land and they (Horopapera) took money for a lease of land including some of this claimed by me. I protested and went to them. Toka who was with them said he would take the rest from the ‘pakeha’ and give it to me and Te Kuru. He did not fulfill his promise. It came to nothing since the year 1860. The land was occupied with sheep and they gave me £1 which I took. Miraka was angry. They quarreled also among themselves. Paora took my side and opposed Te Kepa and the second £5 paid by the ‘pakeha’ was taken by Paora and Kiharoa and given to me and we divided it between us. Kiharoa is a ‘mokopuna’ of Rangiheuea’s. When Ngati te ihi ihi heard this, they sent the European away and after he went, I and Paora and Kiharoa leased it to Mr. Hadfield for £60 a year.
Court adjourned at 5.45 pm till tomorrow.
