More Info →9 February 1869

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Tuesday 9^th February 1869

Court sat at 10 am.

Present – the same.

Ngawhakaraua – claimants case continued

Reihana Te Piki – sworn

I belong to Ngati Raukawa. I know the place shown on the map before the court called Ngawhakaraua. My tribe occupied this land when we migrated here from Taupo. The land at that time belonged to Ngati Mairehau.

Our tribe had previously conquered the Rangitane tribe. Had afterwards intermarried with them, when we went to occupy the block the Ngati Mairehau did not object.

It was we and the Ngati Mairehau that first made a clearing on the land, we have lived on it ever since. Ngati Mairehau have houses on it now.

When we first went on to the land we were informed by all the old men that the land belonged to Ngati Mairehau. I heard of no others till after we had made our clearing.

When Hinawarui sold land in the vicinity this land was withheld. It was my tribe that withheld it fro sale.

Xd by Te Peiti of Hineaute

Where was Mairehau living when Ngati Raukawa came? Just outside (pointed out).

Who did you find there? Renata.

Who was the ariki? Te Huiora of Ngati Raukawa.

Where was Renatas ariki? At Oroua.

Did you find any of Ngati Hineaute there? Yes, Wiki, Te Nehu, Tawhanga Takahu, Rota.

Were these on this land? No we found them living at Hakione (further up Manawatu on Te Peitis place).

Where was Rota? At Tuwhakatupua below Manawatu.

Did you restore any of these “here here’s”? Mahuri and Te Aweawe, your relatives. We placed them not on this block but on land outside.

Did Aweawe not live with you on this land? On the other side Manawatu which land as far as Puketotara belongs to Hineaute, not on this block.

Did you not live with Te Aweawe on the land to the east of this just outside? Yes for a time but I considered that we were both squatting on the Mairehau land.

The land to the west of this, from the boundary near the public house shown on the plan belongs to your tribe as I have been told by the old men.

Who owns the land to the east? The land to the east of this from the Kahika of Rangiwetea is Hekouaiaha’s as far as te Mahoe.

Who owns the land beyond the Mahow? The Ngati Mairehau. The Mahoe is a “putaka karaka”.

What tribe is Hekouaiaha of? Ngati Hineaute.

Who opposed the sale of this land by Hirawaru? I did, at a great runanga.

Did not I? No you did not.

Had my mother not pigs at Te Kahika a Rangiwetea? (outside). There was none while I was there.

Did I not work for one year on this land? When we made the clearing, you were permitted to plant a piece as any stranger might. It is a Maori custom.

Paora Taurua – sworn

Xd by court

I belong to Ngati Raukawa. I know Ngawhakaraua. It belongs to Ngati Raukawa and Ngati Mairehau. It first belonged to the latter afterwards our tribe took possession of it and we have occupied it conjointly ever since.

The Ngati Hineaute have no claim on it. They never exercised a right of ownership over it that I know of.

Xd by Te Peiti

Where did you and they work? I worked on several places outside this land, and also on it.

Have you seen Mairehau living on this land? Yes.

Have you not seen Hineaute in possession? No, the Raukawa had the mana over all the land and allowed those they liked to reside on it.

Mr. George F. Swainson – sworn

I am a licensed surveyor. I made the survey of the land shown on the sketch plan before the court. There is a proper map of it. I forwarded it to the chief provincial surveyor in October last. The survey has been made in accordance with the rules. The lines are all cut on the ground and the angles pegged. The survey was not opposed. Te Peiti I heard intended to oppose it but after a conversation with him, he said he would not.

The boundaries were pointed out by the claimants.

There is a settlement on the land, houses fences etc belonging to the claimants.

I have no claim for survey.

Judgement given in favor of Ngati Raukawa and Ngati Mairehau.

Hoani Meihana handed in names of proposed grantees.

Renata Paehora, Miriama Te Rangi, Karanama Paehora, Hare Rakeua Te Aweawe, Matiu Te Kotoi, Horeima Mutuahi, Reihana, Erina Te Awe, Reweti Te Kohu, Te Warihi.

Names of other persons interested to be registered under clause 17.

Te Watene, Wiremu Te Kohu

Of Ngati Raukawa;

Hoani Te Whana, Taurewa Te Whana, Hapimana Hi, Kepa Toka, Mauahi Taurua, Horopapera Te Umu, Paora Taurua, Ihakara Ngatahuna, Wiremu Te Hira, Aporo Toka, Poihipi, Kaitiraha, Kipihana Te Whewhera, Pohi, Tohutohu, Temuera, Hapuroua Rongorahi, Timoti Taha, Makutu, Horomona Te Whena, Matataia Tangimoana, Moko, Ihaka Te Akahinga, Tahua.

Of Ngati Mairetahi;

Horomona Paro, Heta Paro, Wiremu Waka Te Rangi, Meihaua Te Rangi, Ripeka Hiha, Kararaina Mahuri, Irihapeti Hori, Hori Te Ripo, Pauro te Ripo, Roka Te Aweawe, Rauira Te Aweawe, Apia Te Kotoi, Hamahona Paehora, Rota Moea, Mairewa Warena. – 9^th July.

Ordered that a certificate of the title of Renata Paehora and the 9 others to a piece of land called Ngawhakaraua containing 76 acres be made and issued to the governor.

Roads on the plan to be made inalienable except to her majesty her heirs and successors.

Fees charged Invest £2 C Gt £1 Cert £1 Total £4 – 0 – 0

Kahuera

Claim read, map produced.

Adjourned from a former sitting.

Paora Pohotiraha of Ngati Wehiwehi and Rawiri Te Wanui of Ngatimai Otaki appeared in court and stated that the boundary line shown on the general plan of Hurutiris, Kahuera, and Waiorongomai, running from Takapu o Kaingarara to te ahi a Hataua through Punaioro and Hurutiui lakes and straight on through Puketuirau bearing 276.5 degrees to the sea beach was the boundary line agreed upon between the two hapus of Ngati Wehiwehi and Ngatimai Otaki. Both parties were satisfied.

Case of Ngati Pare on Kahuwera

Parameua called – did not appear – Moroati appeared for him

Moroati Kiharoa – sworn

By the Court

I belong to Ngati Pare. This land belonged to the Rangitane tribe first, then Rauparaha obtained it by conquest.

He sent to Taupo for the Ngati Raukawa. They came and went on to Kapiti and planted, then they came here to Otaki and planted, after which they set to work at flax.

Ngati Tukorehe of Ngati Raukawa, my hapu, came from Taupo, went to Kapiti, then came here to Otaki to scrape flax and kotikoti i tetahi wahi whenua moua. They occupied, where there were some houses of Ngati Awa standing.

When Matiu of Raukawa Waihurihia and others heard, they came to drive off the Ngati Kohera. The Ngati Kohera left and moved on to Kahuera and staid there clearing flax and catching eels. This was before Haowhenua.

After Haowhenua they were still there, they had not been disturbed. They continued in undisputed possession up to the time of the Kuititanga (fight).

They did not have this land until the time of the road making at Wellington. No one went on it to occupy it after that, I and the others went to work on the roads. Our houses were left untouched.

About the time of the hakari called Puakamokamo Taumanui, a woman of our hapu came to me and Te Matenga and asked permission to go and catch eels in Kahuera lake for the Ngati Awas hakari with Maika and others of the Ngati Maiotaki. The woman was one of our tribe who had married into Ngati Maiotaki. We gave them leave to go and get eels. As I found that they did not send eels to the Ngati Awa, I demanded them and they were brought to me and I ate them.

I heard that Paora had leased a part of the land to the north to Hadfield but the pakeha (lessee) told me that my land was not included in the lease.

It was Pehitaue, Parameuas father who marked off the boundaries of the piece I claim after we took possession.

We had houses on the part claimed by Ngati Wehiwehi. Rawiri and party leased Waiorongomai (south of Kahuera) to Mr. Hadfield. I heard that he had included Kahuera. I went to Parameua, and we both went to Hadfield, and asked for money for our part. He refused us to Ngati Raukawa.

We had a meeting in Hanitas house. We demanded a share of the rent from Rawiri and party, they refused and said kua kore korua ki runga ki tera whenua. We applied to Mr. Hadfield for our share of the money but he refused. We had another meeting (in July 1866).

The runanga decided against our opponents, but they would not abide by the decision. After this they and the Ngatiwehiwehi agreed together to lay down the boundary line shown on the plan without consulting us. I then detrmined to lay off my piece and invited the m to come and see me do it.

Parakaia had by this time laid off his boundary, and there was a great dispute. This was in October 1866. When I attempted to claim the boundary they interfered and blows were exchanged, after much quarrelling we got the line surveyed in order to refer our dispute to the court.

Xd by Rota

Did not that land belong to Matangi formerly? No.

Do you not know that Matangi gave it to Pehitaua to scrape flax on? No.

Did not Rauparaha and your father come to drive us from this land of Ngati Awa? Kaore au e mohio.

Eru Tahitangata – sworn

Xd by the court

I belong to the Ngati Kapu a hapu of N.Raukawa. I know Kahuera. After the Ngati Awa left this land the first who took possession were Matiu (dead) and Te Hira (of Ngatimai Otaki). They lived in houses of the Ngati Awa at Waitawa on the beach. Te Hira did not work at eel catching, as some of the Ngati Awa were still at Waiorongomai, he was afraid of them.

We of the Ngati Kapu were at this time at Waiwiri (a long way off), we came on the land and occupied the Puau just south of Waiorongomai, at night we took our hinaki to the Waiorongomai lake, and on the secong night did the same. Ngati Awa saw us, and my Tuakana Te Ra, chief of our hapu gave the eels to them.

After this many Ngati Raukawa having come to the district Ngati Awa abandoned the place and Matiu and Te Ra obtained the land called Waiorongomai. Te Ra was a catholic and Matiu a missionary, so they divided their lands, the line ran from the angle near Purehurehu to Tioriori. The land to seaward west of this line went to Matiu, to the east of it to Te Ra.

Te Hira shared in the land of Matiu, but Matiu was the principal man as it was he who fetched the Ngatikapu to seize the land.

After the land I have described had been taken by Matiu and Te Ra, Ngati Pare came and occupied Waiorongomai (the stream) near the sea. Matiu and Te Ra ejected them, and they removed further north to Kahuera, and remained there permanently.

They afterwards had a dispute with my father Pehitaua, they wanted to move the boundary further south to the edge of the Waiorongomai lake, but my father would not allow it. I know by the quarrel that the Ngatipare at that time occupied Kahuera and I know that they remained in occupation till they went to work on the roads in Wellington.

The line shown on the general plan is the south boundary of the land of Ngati Wehiwehi.

The land to the north of this line is theirs, and therefore the Ngati Pare claim to Kahuera should not extend further north than that line.

Xd by Rota

Was I not the first to occupy that land? Yes I have said so, the Ngati Maiotaki.

Did not Matangi and Te Ahoaho live at the Ngoungou? Yes.

Were you not at Whanganui then in 1857? Don’t know the year.

Kid not te teinas of Te Kingi die on the land? Yes long after.

Did not Te Hira, Peni, Patuku, Rangatira go to kotikoti that land? Yes.

Xd by the court

Matiu is dead, and nearly all his relatives, his mokopuna, Eria.M is alive and should share with Rota and Rawiri in the land south of Kahuera on Waiorongomai.

No further evidence.

Case of Ngatimaiotaki

Rota Te Tahiiwi – sworn

Xd by the court.

I belong to Ngati Maiotaki and reside at Otaki.

I claim Kahuera. Rauparaha came to this district, and conquered the inhabitants the Rangitane. In the year 1830 he sent to Taupo for his people the Ngati Raukawa. They came and went to Kapiti. Same year 1830, some of us came to Otaki. I and my matuas came to Pakakutu, we were in want of food there. My father Te Hira, my mother, Te Hapupu, Te Whakaahunga, Peni, Waitaia and I came to Waiorongomai also Matiu, Phika.

The day after Pita, Matangi and Te Hotoke came. We found no one there save some Ngatiawa. No Ngatiraukawa. We feared the Ngatiawa, and when we had been two days Matiu went to Ohau and Waiwiri and asked Te Ra and the Ngati Kapu to come. While Matiu was away Matangi and Pita went to dig fern root at Kahera. We were at this time staying near to Puau. About this time my younger brother died and was buried near Waiorongomai stream.

A number of the Ngati Kapu came with Matiu on his invitation and occupied the whole block. When Rauparaha and Kiharoa (Moroatis father) heard that we were in occupation of the land from the Ngoungou to Waiorongomai they came to send us back in order that the Ngati Awa might retain the land. We would not go.

In 1831, we turned to scrape flax. In this year a heke of the Ngati Raukawa came from Ahuriri under Parameuas father Pehitaue. They found us clearing flax. As the Ngati Raukawa were in possession of all the flax swamps, Matangi gave Kahuera to Pehitaue hi taokete hei haronga muka. Pehitaue remained for a few months flax clearing, and then went away to sell it. I am not aware that he ever went there again to scrape flax after that year. We left Waiorongomai to assemble for war at the time of Haowhenua. After Haowhenua we returned again to Waiorongomai.

The boundary shown on the general plan was and is the permanent boundary between us and the Ngati Wehiwehi. When our pigs trespassed on their side they killed them and when their pigs came on our side we killed them.

Xd by Moroati

Did you interfere with us before Haowhenua? No, as we had permitted you to clean flax there.

After that, did you interfere with us? I never saw you there after that.

Did you not stop my survey? Yes I did.

Xd by the court

I am quite certain that Ngati Pare never lived on Kahuera after the Kuititanga. Pehitaue lived as I have said for a month or two by our permission scraping flax and then left. There is nothing there but flax. No land to cultivate. There have been no houses built there since the Ngati Awa left.

Adjourned till tomorrow.

Identification