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

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Saturday 17^th September 1881

Place – the same Present – the same

Pukekaraka No. 5 – continued

Karanama Te Whakaheke – sworn

I live at Otaki. I am of Ngati Kapu. I have recently been to Waikato. I know Eru Tahitangata. He is one of chiefs of Ngati Kapu.

I know this land. Eru was here when this land was cut up. He went to Taupo after Haowhenua. Ngati Raukawa was there then. Haowhenua was before Te Kuititanga – three years before. My father killed a Ngati Awa and caused that fight. I don’t know how long Eru was away at Taupo. He came back before Te Rauparaha was caught (1847). I am certain Eru went away before Haowhenua. This land was cut up before Haowhenua. Te Uhi cut it up. Each hapu of Ngati Raukawa cut up their piece.

There were two hundred Ngati Raukawa’s ---- with Eru to Taupo. Eru came back before Te Rauparaha was caught. He may have been ten years away.

Xed by Tame Ranapiri

Pukekaraka is my permanent residence. It did belong to Te Uhi and his children.

I know Matana. He is related to Te Uhi and has an interest in this land through that connection.

I know Te Morere. I saw him working beside Perenara. Te Morere had an interest in this land also. He worked it therefore I say he had an interest in it – relative positions of cultivations pointed out. Morere’s permanent residence was outside the boundaries just near the creek. He had no wife when he was living here. I only knew his daughter Te Kaea. I saw Te Kaea here. I saw her at Rangiuru where she was married to a European. This piece has been fenced by Te Raiti and the R. C minister – each have fenced a part. No one objected to Raiti’s fence.

Xed by Perenara Te Tewe

There are thirty chiefs of Ngati Kapu.

Te Uhi Pairoroku assisted to cut up the land. Pukekaraka was a pa before the church was built on it. A hapu of Ngati Kapu lived permanently on it. You and I two lived so there. Matena Hokopaura lived here for some time. Anikanara’s statement is not true when she says that Matena only lived here a month and then died. The whole tribe gave permission for the erection of the church.

It was Tonihi suggested the building of a church here. The owners also agreed to bury their dead there. Te Waha was a priest. The R. C priest lives on it now and he alone.

I heard of the meeting of Ngati Kapu to cut out a piece for the church and burial purposes. The tribe had already given it but Te Raiti objected. The part cleared by the priest is the part that Te Raiti considered should be given to the priest.

Xed by Mr McLean

Te Raiti objected to this soon after her father’s death. The tribe would not listen to her objection because Te Raiti was trying to take all the land. She could get from the priest.

The tribe was right in my opinion.

Te Raiti was right if she could get the land. She was re-exed with us because none of ours was given to the priest. Te Raiti’s father gave the land to the priest. The whole tribe consented.

All the hapu’s were gathered to this pa. I don’t know when the church was built. The -------- church had been built some time before. We have an ancient burial ground at some distance from this place. We bury here now because the other is so far away. Tonihi gave this piece to the church. The boundaries were not defined. There was no survey.

The Mangapouri stream was the old boundary in Te Uhi’s tribe. Te Raiti’s fence and the position of her house pointed out. She now lives at Waitohu not on this land. She was only a child when the land was given to the church and would not be allowed to speak at the meetings of the people. Te Uhi invited the tribe to come and live here.

Xed by court

I heard that Morere belonged to Ngati Raho hapu of Ngati Raukawa. I was at Patetere when Te Morere died. I did not see where he was buried nor did I hear where he was buried. Had he been a great man, I should have known his burial place. I don’t know if Te Morere had any claim on Ngati Raukawa lands at Patetere. I knew Perenara was brother in law to Tonihi.

Tonihi gave this portion to the R. C. mission. The boundaries were not defined then. The priest was told to put up his fence at once. Te Raiti objected to the gift by her father for the first time about 2 years after her father’s death. Tonihi’s gift was a free one. It is quite recently we suggested our present action because of our dead.

I appear as witness for Perenara. He called me.

Te Raiti has no interest in this block because her father gave it to the R. D. mission.

I have heard that William Gillett has been admitted as an owner of land at Waikato because of his connection with Ngati Kapu through Te Morere.

Hakaria Rangikura – sworn

I am of Ngati Kapu. I live at Otaki.

I wish to give evidence. I knew Te Morere. He was Ngati Raukawa. He had two hapu’s viz – Ngati Te Ao and Ngati Iterangi. I was related to Morere.

Click on view to see family tree.

I don’t know if Te Awanui was father of Piki and Tumia. Te Morere was a rangatira. He lived between the creek and the new road. He also lived on this land. He worked outside the boundaries. I remember the laying off of the Waitawa Mill case. Te Morere was not present then.

Xed by Tame Ranapiri

I only know by hearsay that Te Morere was connected with Ngati Te Ao.

I know this land. It was Te Uhi’s when cut up. He had also all the adjoining land.

I knew Matana. He has a claim on this piece through Matarina. Matarina was Tonihi’s wife and Perenara’s sister.

In my opinion this land belongs to Tonihi.

Our wire fence put up under Te Raiti’s mana begins on the N. W. and goes round to Waitohu. The priest’s fence – also pointed out.

Perenara Te Tewe

I claim to be a Ngati Kapu through my mother’s mother Pareurunga.

It was you asked me to come to lay off the s. E. boundary of this piece. You told me that Te Raiti and you had settled the line. The church was built in spite of Te Raiti’s objection. Te Raiti was not with us when we laid down that S. E. line. The only part objected to by Te Raiti is a small strip on the S. E. boundary.

By court

Te Morere came here with Ngati Raukawa. Morere cut up a piece for himself at Maringiawai. The whole tribe came and settled down there at Maringiawai. This was the first migration. Morere came with the second migration not with the first who cut up Maringiawai into sections for the second migration to come and settle on.

Te Uhi came to this piece first and invited Te Morere to come to his piece. Of those I have spoken of Te Morere is the only one who came on to this land. Ngati Te Au are residents of Otaki.

Eru’s statement that Morere was serf to Te Kuru is wrong. I heard and also saw Morere living at Huritini. That was Te Kuru’s residence. He went there to get eels. We went there through Te Ra.

I never heard that Morere was of Ngati Turanga - I don’t know. I have seen Te Kaea. She was a child and did not cultivate. She was taken away by her husband when she was young. She cooked food for herself and her father on this place.

John Webber – sworn

I am a carpenter. I live at Otaki. I came here in October 1849.

I knew Te Morere very well then. I came here to put up a mill under Mr Fitzgerald - the wheat mill of the Pikopo. I can tell some of the people who laid off the place – Te Morere, Te Rawaraki, Tonihi, Kohiko – (a man with a split lip) and Te Rakau and Matipu. These were all present. I then thought Te Morere was consulted as much as any of the others. He was along with the principal men and I understood him to be consulted.

The present R. C. church has been built since that time. The first R. C. church was built on the top of the hill and was ministered in by father Resount. There are two burial grounds – one on the hill where the church stands, the other now in use, is on the other side of the bridge. I think the church was begun 26 or 27 years ago. I was here at the time. Te Morere was here then also. I was in father Resounts employ. He said this piece of land has been given to the church. You may plough an acre for your own use. This was 28 years ago. The other workmen had the same privilege. We all understood this was church land at that time. I believe the land was given on condition that a new church should be built. The raupo church was there 30 years ago.

Xed by Tame Ranapiri

I was led to believe that the owners of the land were those who gave it to the priest. I don’t know the boundaries of this piece shown on the plan. I can go over the boundaries pointed out by the priest. The piece given at Waitohu was not to the mission. The creek was the boundary of the gift to the mission.

A township was laid off at Waitohu by Fitzgerald. It was not on the side of the burial ground – on the right side of the last or third bridge. The burial ground is on the west side of the road. The township was laid out on the E. side of the road and Waitohu creek.

What we cultivated by permission of the priest was on the Otaki side of the creek. I believe it was part of the land given to the church.

Re-exed by McLean

I know where the new Catholic Church is. It was not on that lands were allowed to plough. The distance from the old and new church was not more than 2o or 30 yards horizontally. I understood that was all church land. The old one was standing 30 years ago.

Court adjourned until 10 am on Monday.

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