More Info →3rd Dec 1872.

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Tuesday December 3^rd 1872

Court opened at 10 am.

Present – His Honours Judge Rogan, Smith H. Tautari – Assessor

T. Young – Interpreter W. Grey – Clerk

Ihakara – continued

By Hoani Meihana

I say that Ngatiraukawa, Ngatitoa and Ngatiawa have possession of all the land shown on the plan. These tribes sent a notice to Muaupoko, Rangitane and Ngatiapa stating that they were lying off the boundaries of this land. We sent it to them a long time ago; it was in the old time. The boundaries were all settled at the time of the fighting. The chiefs of those tribes had nothing to say in the matter. Watanui and Rauparaha said that the land shown on the map was theirs by right of conquest. All the chiefs of the Ngatiraukawa, Ngatitoa and Ngatitoa agreed that this land was to be theirs, Ngatiraukawa by right of conquest and this block only the boundary of Awaturangi and Waengaehu is the boundary which I took by conquest.

The boundary from Whanganui to Nukutaunia is the boundary of land which was conquered by me. The tribes living within these boundaries agreed to them when they were laid down by our fathers. I don’t recollect the date of Mr. Searancke’s arrival here. Tiwheta was clear before I came here.

I did not hear at the meeting that Ngatiraukawa requested that the boundary of the land to be sold should be at Oroua. I don’t know that it was Rangitane who laid off the boundary from Mangapiko to Mangawharawhara and Arawaru.

I did not hear Kawana Hunia say in the court at Otaki that the land described in this map was his. I did not hear him say he had mana over all the land from Rangitikei including this shown on the map.

Whakauonua fight took place before that at Omakukara. Omakukara was fought in revenge for that.

I don’t know that Whareangi was killed by Ngapuhi after the slaughtered and people escaped to Rotoira.

I don’t that there were only 300 men in the pa at Putikiwharenui. I don’t know that Kuraniahanga was on the side of Ngatiawa. I don’t know that after the fight at Pekenamu .... went up to make peace with Te Heu Heu. I don’t know that the fight at Pukenui was between Whanganui.

I swore that Heketueturangi was captured at Pukenui – it is correct. The green stone there was not given as ransom for Heketu’s wife and children but for himself of the 40 men given with the mere. Some are dead and some gone home. None of these men were killed. The Waikato’s took some with them. They were given by Te Heketu alive. I did not hear that it was 5 men given with the mere. There were 40. The men were in the hands of another chief and Heketu went and fetched it from him. I don’t know that after the fight at Pukenui, the Waikato’s and Ngatiraukawa were defeated at Ahipaneke. I don’t know that after the fight, Paneke Raukawa were defeated at Kaipuku (Wairoa).

I don’t know that after the fight at Ruamahanga where Titi and Matau were killed that Ngatikahungungu fought against Raukawa and killed Whaipo and Huri Huri and Whaipo by Ngatikahungungu that Parearua was killed. I did not hear Hunia state that Te Hatake was killed at Pukeho.

Muaupoko has cultivated food for us many times under Watanui’s direction. I am unable to count how many times they cultivated for us there were so many.

A slave or prisoner has no right to ask his chief to go out and fight for him or do anything else. We consented to assist Ngatiapa when Takarangi was killed. I consented to go to Rangitikei to assist Rangitane who were my slaves, against the Ngatiapa. I don’t know that Muaupoko drove off the surveyors from Horowhenua at the time of Wakefield’s negotiations.

I don’t know that the Rangitane drove them off, burnt their houses when they went up the Manawatu.

If we had been unassisted at Haowhenua we should have been strong enough to have beaten the other party. I was able to hold my own in the fighting at Kahuitetanga. Ngatiapa gained the fight. We gained the land and the boundary was fixed at Kukutawaki. I shall contest that boundary with Ngatiawa when it comes before the court and they can contest it with me.

Parematau was killed at Whanganui before the fight of Kuhitetanga. I don’t know that Kurakahanga was in the Kuhitetanga. I always understood it was between us and Ngatiawa.

I know that Muaupoko’s were killed at Waikanae. Taiwheherua was one of the persons. I had the mana of selling the land from Wangaehu round to the Ahuturanga. The mana was not with Muaupoko, Rangitane or Ngatiapa, Whanganui or Ngatikahungungu.

I don’t know who broke the pa of Raukawa’s.

I don’t know that the Rangitane did it. I did not hear Rangihaeata broke two weapons in presence of Ngatiraukawa and Muaupoko chiefs when he went to Horowhenua. Muaupoko broke out their pound at Horowhenua and killed the sheep on the land leased by Whatanui to the Europeans. /the pound was broken open through the land.

We allowed these inferior tribes to sell the land including Ahiturangi. You came to me, your chief and I allowed you to sell it. I agreed to let you sell this land because you were living under the law. We retain our mana over the whole of the land shown on the plan. I don’t know of any hapu’s going beyond my boundary and asking for money for land. I have not heard that the original owners of the land (on the plan) are urging their claims.

Hari Wirikaki

Those tribes intruded on Ngatiraukawa and Ngatitoa, they were defeated at Kapiti by Ngatitoa and driven away. It is only quite recently they have commenced to break our pa’s and burn our houses. That pa at Tuwhakatupua was destroyed in 1868 and that is why I ignored it just now. I don’t think it right for a beaten tribe to lay off boundaries on land taken by their conquerors. Ngatiraukawa were not defeated by the five tribes in the land now before the court.

Matini Te Whiwhi – sworn

I belong to the Ngatitoa, Ngatiawa and Ngatiraukawa. I live at Otaki.

I know the land shown on the plan now before the court.

A war party under Tamati Weka, Patuone and other chiefs came down to Taharoa near Kawhia. They were joined there by 30 of Ngatitoa. They came on to Waitara – Taranaki and came right on to Wairarapa. They came from Wellington as the winds too high for them. They saw a vessel in Cooks Straits and they lit fires so as to attract the vessel into Wellington. She went on when she had disappeared. Tamati Waka turned towards Rauparah and Ngatitoa and he said to him you must come and occupy.

This place, the pakeha’s are great people and you are an important tribe if you continue to have at your place at Kawhia you will be killed. They came up again as far as Ohau and they caught two Muaupoko chiefs named Taheke and Taherere. They then came on to Manawatu and sent those chiefs home. They went on to Rangitikei and they left Rewanga, Iria, a chief and chiefteness of Ngatiapa whom they had previously caught.

Rangihaeata took Pekinga a chiefteness of Ngatiapa as his wife and then they went on to Kawhia and Rauparaha went to Tukorehu Potatau and all the chiefs of Waikato and he went to Raglan, Manakau and on to Hauraki to inform all the tribes he was coming down here. He then returned to Kawhia and then came down this way with Ngatitoa to Waitara and from thence to Taupo, Rotorua and Tauranga and he asked Te Wharu Tupaea’s father to come here with him. He said he would not go and said he did not wish to leave the two islands, Motiti and Tuhua. Rauparaha told all the people there he was coming down and he went then to Waitara. He then came on accompanied by Ngatiawa and Ngatitoa and came to Waitotara where five of our party were murdered. We remained until January when Turoa Paetahi Metekingi’s father came to us. All the chiefs of Muaupoko and Rangitane collected at Kapiti. Paetahu and Turoa came down here. They spoke to these chiefs and told them to murder Rauparaha if he came to Ohau or Horowhenua. We remained at Whanganui for two months and then came on to Rangitikei where all Muaupoko and Rangitane were colledted together. The parents and brothers of Rangihaeata’s wife told him to be on his guard as it was intended to murder Rauparaha.

We were on friendly terms at that time with those people. They came on to Manawatu accompanied by Ngatiapa. We were in want of food there, there were no potatoes nearer than Rangitikei. We went up the Manawatu to get karaka. We left the canoes and went into the bush and while there, Nohurearu’s canoe was stolen in the evening. We came back and found the canoes had been stolen by the Rangitane. They then went to look. After the canoe search was made for 3 days without success they saw Raka’s sister (Rangitane). They killed her being so angry about the canoe and then went on to Ohau and two Muaupoko’s came up named Wharaki and Paiwhana and they said to Rauparaha come and fetch your canoe. He and some chiefs of Ngatitoa went to Ohau to Te Whiwhare. They slept about the middle of the night they were attacked. There were ony three escaped, Rauparaha, Rakaheria and Mokai and a slave. We pursued those who attacked to Horowhenua and had a fight at Waipata. 17 of Rauparaha’s people were killed at Te Whi Waipata – a pa on the lake. We swam to it and took it. It was a Muaupoko pa. They made their escape in canoes. A woman was caught who attempted to swim after them.

We returned to Ohau. We towed our canoes along close in shore. It was too rough outside. We went on to Hokio and went up stream until we came to Horowhenua where we slept in the mooring. We reached the lake with our canoes. When the people in the pa - Waikeakea saw us – they left it, it belonged to Muaupoko. We killed 40 of them. Arahangi and Arohiti were the principal chiefs. Tongaru (Kemp’s father) Rangihiwinui and all the principal chiefs .... Muaupoko had no other pa’s besides these. Their principal pa – Waikeakea. They had another at Papaitongo. Tangaru and his party fled towards the hills. I don’t know whether they had settlements on the hills or not.

We then went on to Waikanae and we killed 10 Muaupoko’s there, their chief was Tipapa. We lived at Pukerua and Porirua an reason was because we could get paua’s and mussels. It was in April when we went to Waikanae. I think about the year 1815 or 1816. We were there three months libing about Waikanae and Pukerua. Tne Ngatikahungungu heard about us and their war party came from Wairarapa to Pukerua and attacked us in the night and killed 20. They then went away. They did not remain until daylight. There were many chief killed. We did nothing after this as there was no one about either at Horowhenua or anywhere else.

In January, we all collected together at Kapiti and came on shore to have a hunt for some people. We watched their fires. We saw a fire at Patku and we went towards it, attacked them and captured Tangaru’s brother and Tangaru ran away. His brother called to him to turn and fight but he would. I was not there, Rangihaeata was. The people captured were not killed. There were 10 of them. We then went back to Kapiti and part of us came on shore and caught Te Raku near Kukutawaru.

Ratu speared Pehi through the thigh. Pehi’s people wanted to kill him but he prevented them and the party returned to Kapiti. We waited for the tribes of this place to collect together and come and fight us in the day time. We frequently came on shore to hunt for these people at Horowhenua and these places and if we did not catch any returned to the island.

A war party of us went to Horowhenua, killed 20 and then returned (we surprised them). We were only hunting Muaupoko’s. There was no one at Porirua or any where about. They had all gone a crop to the middle island. I think they were afraid of us because the only attack they made upon us was at Wairoa.

Two years afterwards, our war party came on shore to hunt for people and we went inland to Otuiti. Pekinga went to Rangitane and pretended peace was to be made and persuaded them to come out. Rangitane were in their pa at Otuiti. 30 chiefs of Rangitane were killed. There were some Ngatiapa with them. They had been about an hour with the war party when they were killed or made prisoners. Awe Awe was spared. All the people in the pa did not come out. The women and children were there. Tokipoto, Tamaraki, Te Oio and Pokahuru were killed. Ngatiapa when they heard that these men had been killed, they were very angry. Three men were killed in revenge for the murder of Rauparaha’s friends at Te Whi. Ngatiapa sent a messenger a crop the Range to the Hamua tribe and a war party of 200 came. We were all on Kapiti with the exception of a few at Waikanae. They attacked us secretly in the night and killed 30 of us at Waikanae. A canoe was sent to us at Kapiti with the news. We came on the shore but when the other party saw us they bolted. When we got to Waikanae they were nearby at Otaki running as hard as they could.

Pehi was distressed on account of his children having been killed at Waikanae. Three of our great chiefs were killed there.

Three years afterwards Pehi went to England. There was rivalry between the Ngatitoa chiefs as to who would provide the best feasts. Rangihaeata and Rauparaha were crying with Nopers. Rauparaha and his hapu collected some food together. The feast was called Tehoreraumate. When Rangihaeata and Rauparaha heard that this name was given to the feast, a party of them came from Kapiti, came to Ohau and Portaowhai where they killed 20 Muaupoko.

The chiefs were Tairatu, and others. These 20 were added to the feast. The rivals were annoyed at this because they couldn’t provide any men in the beginning of the fourth year. The man who speared Pehi ran away. He went a crop to the middle island to Kekerengu and all the chiefs there. They sent a man to Taitahu and Wairau to collect all the people. They sent one to Wairarapa, one to Manawatu, Rangitikei, Whanganui and Patea. The other party came to a point on the middle island called Omere. We started and went to Ohariu where we saw people in a canoe fishing for hapuka. We concluded that was the war party coming to attack and so returned at once to Kapiti.

After this we went ashore at Paekakariki to get Karaka’s, we were short of food. At night at low water, we went to get some mussels. We were attacked. There were three killed, one however got away, a woman. We gave chase to the attacking party. The same night when they saw us they ran away. We remained near Waikanae for a week and then off to Kapiti and while we were there, the people arrived from the middle island at Waikanae secretly. They only lit their fires at night when they had all collected from Whanganui, Wairarapa, and Rangitikei. Two of Rauparaha’s children were up in a tree and saw the fires at Waikanae. This was the first time we knew of their being there. Rauparaha and Rangihaeata wanted to crop to the main land in the morning. During the night, those 1000 of people who were at Waikanae came with their canoes and came to eastend of the island Waioru.

They wanted to attack at night. Kekerengu said “let us wait until morning”. Some of our people heard them disputingand went and reported it at the pa. At 4 am, the pa was attacked, just after dawn. The pa was taken. The people who attacked were defeated. The canoes were close together and covered the space between Waikanae and Kapite. Wairorua is the name of the battle. 5 of them were spared.

Rauparaha thought as these tribes had joined to fight against him and as they had not succeeded he would make peace.

When they got across to the middle Island the chiefs were willing to make peace. These people who were sent were the ones spared in the fight. The Wairarapa man did not come back. Peace was not made with Rangitane Muaupoko or Ngatiapa.

After the return of these people, 30 of us went to the middle island to make peace. We made peace with them and came back with Ngatikahungungu and Ngatiapa who had been asked by Rauparaha to come. This is the peace making which Kemp states were made by Watanui.

The news of this went all over and the people knew that Rauparaha had defeated all these tribes. Puaho came from the North to see how we were getting on. 70 came with him. They belonged to several hapu partly Ngatitawa, Ngatiwhakatere & others. He came and saw we were all right and then went back.

In summer Ngatiwhakatere & Ngatitawa came down in a party. They were now commencing to migrate on their arrival at Rangitikei. A party of us came ashore from Kapiti. The Ngatiwhakatere party killed Rangihirinui the principal chief of Muaupoko.

Ngatitama came on to Waikanae while the other went on to Rangitikei to fight Ngatiapa. They took a Pa called Pikitara up the Rangitikei. It belonged to Ngatiapa. They came down here, we left Ngatiwhakatere here and went down the Coast. They then afterward went up Manawatu and killed Katea of Ngatiapa. They caught Huria's mother there also Moko Moko and some other chiefs.

The tribes then continued to come to this part of the country. We returned to Kapiti and we heard that the Rangitane had stayed at Wairau that they would smash Rauparaha's head with a stone used for beating fern root. A party of Ngatitoa went there, those who went to the middle island first was with us. Ngatikahungungu went with us and we defeated Rangitane. We spared the lives of the chiefs except Tuwhakarere. He was killed by Ngatikahungungu. We made peace with them.

We then came to Kapiti, Rauparaha's fame as a brave went abroad. Some of the chiefs of Ngaitahu said if he went to their side of Waiau they would rip his belly open with a fish's tooth.

Our war party set out. We took their Pa and took thousands of them and killed them. Pehi, at this time, had come back from England. We got 10 Meri Pounamu's. We were glad to get them.

Rauparaha Pehi & the others agreed to go to Kaiapoi

Court adjourned at 3 pm.

Identification

Date

December 3, 1872