More Info →Otaki Maori Land Court Minutebook - 17 October 1881.

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Monday 17^th October 1881

Present – the same Place – the same

18 Whakapawaewae – continued

By Maaka

Karipa Te Kapakai

I live at Otaki. I belong to Ngati Huia hapu of Ngati Raukawa.

I know the piece before the court. It belongs to Aperahama Te Ruru, Parakaia Te Poepa and Te Maanga. Those were the old people who worked on it. The whole of the piece included in survey belongs to them.

Te Rauparaha’s piece is at the eel weir on the south boundary. I do not know whether the claim ----- to the land. Te Rauparaha’s eel weirs did not extend beyond this weir. In 1873, I saw your negotiations on it. The only claim Te Rauparaha had was the eel weir.

Manahi Te Humu has no claim to any of this land.

Xed by Wallace

I say that this land belongs to Maaka’s relatives because all along they have had eel weirs on it.

Te Rauparaha gave this land to them. They did not catch eels at Te Rauparaha’s weir.

Re-exed by Maaka

The stream flows threw the block.

Xed by court

Te Rauparaha killed his eels on his own land within the block now before the court. There were a great many slaves of Te Rauparaha who worked his weirs.

Hape Rangitewhare – sworn

I live at Otaki. I belong to Ngati Huia hapu of Ngati Raukawa.

This land belongs to Ngati Turanga. No one else has any claim there.

The eel weir owned by Te Rauparaha was at the south end of this piece and at the Rere of Manuka.

Manahi has no claim on this land.

Ngati Turanga cultivated near the northern boundary.

I never heard that Te Rauparaha’s mana extended over this piece. It was only at his eel weir.

Xed by Wallace

It was after Te Rauparaha that Ngati Turanga worked this land. Te Rauparaha invited them. They came and seized this piece. Te Rauparaha had the mana over all the land. Te Rauparaha’s eel weir is on the side of the road within the block.

Aperahama and others had cultivations near the northern boundary. This piece was not all swamp. The swamp has been drained by Europeans authorized by Ngati Turanga. I merely heard the drain is quite recently. This piece has not been heard by the court before this time.

By Maaka

A ditch running from the east towards the west in about the centre of the block and then ran north was made by you.

By Wallace

Te Rei Parewhanake – sworn

I live at Otaki. I belong to Ngati Waihurihia hapu of Ngati Raukawa.

I know the piece before the court. I do not know if Ngati Turanga has a claim to this piece.

Te Rauparaha and Matene were the only ones who had mana over this piece. Whakapawaewae was Te Rauparaha’s eel weir.

Te Rereamanuka was an eel weir of Matene Te Whiwhi.

By the court

The pa on the north side of the boundary belonged to Te Rauparaha and Rangihaeata. I never saw any cultivations on this piece. I did see some of the Ngati Turanga catching eels below Te Rauparaha’s and Matene’s eel weirs. They had no names for for their weirs.

Maaka and others have no claim to this piece.

By Maaka

The pa of Te Rauparaha and Rangihaeata was along the western boundary at edge of the swamp. The Totara eel weir is outside the eastern boundary. There is no running stream in this swamp. There is flax growing in this swamp.

Te Rei – sworn

I live at Otaki. I belong to Ngati Huia hapu of Ngati Raukawa.

I know this piece. I have a claim to it through Te Rauparaha. He was the owner of it. I only heard that he worked on it. He gave a part to Te Rarangi to cultivate kumara on outside the stream from boundary of this piece. I do not know if the gift extends to the swamp. Te Rarangi and Te Rauparaha were the owners of this piece.

Te Rarangi’s descendants did work on this piece and also Te Rauparaha’s descendants.

Xed by Maaka

I did not see your cultivation on the piece or your ditch. I only saw flax growing on it. The only eel weir I know of belonged to Rarakaia at the Totara.

James H. Wallace h.c

I live at Otaki. I belong to Ngati Kikopiri hapu of Ngati Raukawa.

I know the piece before the court. It is mine. I claim through my relatives. They had eel weirs on it also. I claim through Tamihana Te Rauparaha. He was the owner up to his death then he left it to me.

My mother also has a claim there. Tamihana worked the eel weir afterwards invited Okoro to look after it. Whakapawaewae is the name of the eel weir. It was called so through the eels swimming about the feet of my relatives so hence they were looking for them. The bridge is also called by the same name. Tamihana super intended the erections of the bridge. The Ngati Huia was with him. He did not invite the Ngati Turanga to come and assist making the bridge or the road. Tamihana claims through his parents Te Akau – Te Rauparaha’s wife. I claim also through her. She was the principal woman an who ordered other women – flax to be cut in this swamp for herself.

I am not aware that anyone else has a claim to this piece.

By Maaka

There were no cultivation on this piece - only eel weirs. Te Rauparaha’s slaves used to spear eels in the middle of this swamp. I have not seen the drain on it.

I have seen an eel weir (Totara). It is not inside this piece. Te Akau is my grandmother.

By court

My relations worked on this piece under Te Rauparaha’s mana.

Case closed.

75 Haruatai

Claim of Piwiki Hape and others.

No plan – Dismissed

36 Katihiku No. 9

Claim of Matene Te Whiwhi and other included in Ngakaroro No. 3 – Dismissed

28 Katihiku No. 9

Claim of Karepa Te Kapukai and other included in Ngakaroro No. 3 – Dismissed

65 Katihiku No. 9

Claim of Matene Te Whiwhi and others included in Ngakaroro No. 3 – Dismissed

13 Katihiku

Claim of Matene Te Whiwhi and other included in Ngakaroro No. 3 – Dismissed

23 Pahianui – (continued from 128)

Claim of J. H. Wallace

Pene Te Hurae

I live at Otaki. I belong to Ngati ---- of Ngati Raukawa.

I know the piece at Pahianui. It is the piece on which our wooden house stands. It belongs to Eraia. It was given to him by Te Hurae. Te Whatanui gave it to him and Te Tuaho.

Tuaho’s piece was given by Tamihana. Tuaho belongs to Ngati Turanga. They cultivated in common.

Piripi Te Rangiatahua has no claim on this. We all cultivated on this piece. We lived a great many years on it. We fenced it three times. Piripi was alive at that time but did not work thereon. He did come and distur us and Natanahira tore all his clothes.

This house has been standing for fifteen years. This land was leased after the house was built to Mr Bell.

Piripi died prior to the leasing, neither J. H. Wallace nor Ria did not appear until the survey. This land is included in my paddock which I have fence in five times.

Eraia was my mother’s brother. Rina Te Akau has a claim to this piece through relationship. Te Akau is still living on this piece. The house is our permanent residence.

I assert that Piripi has no claim at all to this piece. He never had a house there. He was living at Waikanae.

Xed by Wallace

I am Eraia’s nephew. I claim through him. He and myself cleared this land of bush. Piripi did not assist us either with axe or shovel. My house is on it.

Xed by Hema

Eraia Hakiaha, Kaharuhi the owners are all dead. Kipihana is the only one living. They never gave any of this land to anyone. Wallace did not disturb me.

Xed by court

Piripi was a relation of mine (Tuakana) also to Te Tuaho Hurae. A piece of Piripi’s was included in the part taken by Tamihana. Piripi’s descendents have no claim to this land.

By Hema

Te Akau – sworn

I live at Otaki. I belong to Ngati Tuara hapu of Ngati Raukawa.

I know the piece before the court. We claim through Te Whatanui. I know the people who lived on this piece.

Kipihana, Raharuhi Hakiahu, myself, Pene also. These are of Ngati Tuara. Others went up north. The land south side of this piece has passed through the court.

Piripi is a brother to me. He did not work on this piece. His permanent residence was at Waikawa. He married a woman of Ngati Tihuhi. He did not work or build any house on this land. It was given a long time ago to us by Te Whatanui to Te Tuaho and Huirai. They lived and cultivated on it down to the present time.

No person has disturbed me on the occupation of this piece. I have worked it every year. I have a house on it. It is a pataka close to the survey line near the town. Wallace did not come and say part of it belonged to Piripi.

By Wallace

My houses have been on this piece a great many years. I did not have this piece surveyed because I understood that it was included in a former piece. Piripi never cultivated or fell bush on this piece. It was my parents and brothers who cleared this land of bush.

Kepa Kerekere – sworn

I live at Otaki. I belong to Ngati Moewaka hapu of Ngati Raukawa.

I know the south side of a certain fence. Kipihana abuts my piece, Eraia’s piece abuts Wiremu’s and Kingi’s piece. I knew it from the time it was cleared of bush. There was no fence at that time. This was in the year 1831. Pene, Rawiri and others put up the fence on the northern boundary.

Eraia had interest in this piece. I have seen him working on it. He died at Otaki. Pene and Te Akau are the people who are living on this land at present. They had lived on it prior to the erection of the fences. They also lived at Te Wairarapa which was their permanent residence.

I did not see Piripi working on this piece. I knew him well. I saw him working on the piece taken by Tamihana.

Hema’s case closed

Tewiata – sworn

I live at Otaki. I belong to Ngati Te Horu hapu of Ngati Raukawa.

I went with Wallace to see his northern boundary of the piece before the court. They are correct.

Hohaia Te Pahau – sworn

I live at Poroutawhao. I belong to Ngati Huia hapu of Ngati Raukawa.

I know the piece before the court. Piripi is the owner of it. He fell the bush off it. I was present with him. We both cultivated it. No one disturbed us there. The first fence was a large one which included all Pahianui. Piripi belonged to the Ngati Tuara hapu. Piripi was never disturbed in his possession of it. He died while in possession.

I am quite certain that this piece belongs to him.

Xed by Hema Te Ao

I had the piece west of Piripi next to me Rangiwaitu, next to him Hakiaha next to him Raharuhi. We cleared these pieces. That is our claim at the present time. Te Akau owns the present fence standing.

I was living at Poroutawhao when Piripi died. It was in 1856 when I went there. I am a monitor of the English church. It was in 1840 that Christianity was first introduced into Poroutawhao. I was there then. Piripi worked his piece at the time. I worked mine. He had no house there. It was in the town. He used to go and cultivate there. Piripi had a house in the town which was close to his piece of land. I had no house on my piece.

Xed by court

Piripi and myself worked our piece for a number of years. I went to Poroutawhao in 1856. The Ngati Tuara had their plank house on Tamihana’s land. This house belonged to Hakiaha.

Manahi Paora – sworn

I live at Waikawa. I belong to Ngati Wehiwehi hapu of Ngati Raukawa.

I know the piece before the court. It belonged to Piripi. I do not know how he got it. When I married his daughter, I came and lived on it and cultivated there. When I found it was owned by Piripi, he told me to work there – the portion in the centre of it.

I am quite certain that this piece belonged to Piripi.

Xed by Hema Te Ao

It was in 1864 that I worked on this piece. It was then fenced in by Ngati Tuara.

I understand from Piripi that the northern and southern fences were erected by him.

I was two years on it. At the time we worked there, I saw Te Akau there. Piripi was then living at my house in the town of Otaki. I heard that Piripi had a house on one of the sections alongside of Tamihana. He did not work there. After he left it, I only heard that he cultivated there and fell the bush. I think that it was in 1866 that Te Akau erected her house. We only worked two years on this piece. Piripi objected to Te Akau’s house because it was partly on his land.

Ria Piripi – sworn

I live at Waikawa. I belong to Ngati Wehiwehi hapu of Ngati Raukawa.

I know the piece before the court. It belonged to my father. I knew that it belonged to him. I lived, cultivated and grew up on it.

Te Whatanui gave it to Piripi. He built a house on the south end of the piece near Tamihana Te Rauparaha’s piece. No one disturbed us on it. My fathers’ wife died in the house. Our principal residence was at my husband’s in the town. No one else has possession of this piece.

Xed by Hema Te Ao

I heard Hohaia’s statement. I heard him say that Piripi had no house there.

Hohaia was not present when Piripi built the house mentioned by me. Hinerona died on this piece and not at Tamihana’s. It was only their child who died there.

Piripi did go back to this piece when Paora and myself left it. He was then assaulted by two men and two women.

Xed by court

I was very young when the bush was cleared off the land.

Piripi and Hohaia worked alongside each other. I was present when Piripi built the slab house. It had a Nikau roof. We lived there till Piripi’s wife died.

The house was burnt by him becase it became tapu on account of his wife’s death. She was his last wife.

The small house mentioned by Pene was built after Te Akau’s house was built. It was after the quarrel that her house was built.

Case closed.

Court adjourned till 10 am tomorrow.

Identification