More Info →Otaki Maori Land Court Minutebook - 26 March 1874.

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Thursday 26^th March 1874

Place – the same Present – the same

Ngakaroro continued

Hoani Taipua – sworn

I wish to call beside myself – Arapere, Neri, Parainihia, Kipa, Tipene, Ropata.

I am partly Ngati Pare and Ngati Huia. The boundaries of our land begin – I don’t know.

I dispute the northern boundary of the Ngakaroro claim.

Ngati Pare have a cultivation at Te Waha-o-te-marangai – a little farther on is Kiharoa’s clearing – Otuwhatu. Ngati Pare and Ngati Whakatere cultivate to seaward of Otuwhatu. Paratahihao is a clearing.

In surveying this line, I wanted to include Purathi in my Block. Ngati Huia objected and took it in.

Tareotepuoho is ours and our boundary. Maka has a waerenga. It was alluded to by Penehira and is within Ngati Turanga as he said but it is mine.

Beside Mangaone are the trees planted by Puoho. They brought them from Taranaki. Ngati Whakatere and Kiharoa have a cultivation at this place. My boundary goes on to where Tupe was killed and there Ngati Pare have cultivations also at Apa and on to Te Waka.

Before 1858, all these cultivations from Te Waka to Te Wahaotemarangai – I never heard they were disputed.

At Whakahokiahiahia, Ngati Pare had a cultivation and same as alluded to by Penehira yesterday thence on to Makahuri. Ngati Pare and Ngati Whakatere have cultivations. Makahuri was a settlement of these hapu’s. “Otaki” – a Ngati Pare – has two children buried there. When these hapu’s caught birds extended all over the land on all this land. The hapu’s who own Wairarapa know this.

The dispute which arose in 1858 was about the sale of land. Ngati Huia were averse to selling or letting. This sale was by Matenga and Matene. I heard that Topiora objected to it. I believe Ngati Huia were successful in opposing this sale through Topiora’s support.

Ngati Huia’s real reason was because Rangihaeata was averse to selling. Matene and his people and Ngati Kauwhata and Ngati Pare were the hapu’s who opposed the sale. Those places I have named were mentioned in a letter of mine to the government when this was offered for sale.

(Mr. Booth said that there was such a letter but it also stated that Ngati Huia had opposed and stopped the survey).

When we are cutting the outside line of the land, we opposed to sell, we met Ngati Huia. Moroati has told about that but he omitted some cultivations – they were Ngati Huia’s and right on the road for the purpose of stopping communication that was to intercept Ngati Kauwhata going to Mangaone.

Ngati Huia did not leave at Te Waka for a similar purpose. This is the other side of Mangaone and also between Whakahokiahiahia and Makahuri. There were about 200 Ngati Huia’s engaged in this work. There were not 70 of us Ngati Pare. Te Waka was cleared by Ngati Huia but we planted it for the purpose of establishing our claim there. Te ----- clearing, Ngati Huia cultivation, Matiu cultivated there ( a relation of mine) since 1858. No others of Ngati Huia ----- only cultivated a short time there – 3 years and gave it up because he was ashamed to cultivate on the land.

I came away and ---- and his mother cultivated at Apa after Matiu left.

In 1872, Moihi who gave evidence yesterday – was to cultivate there – he put up a fence and planted potatoes. Hakaraia – a relative of mine – went and destroyed it. Moihi then left and came this side of Mangaone – never returned to Apa. He put up the house on the road there. Parakaia went to Whakahokiahiahia to cultivate because he was pouri about Karanama giving back the land to us Ngati Pare.

We cultivated adjoining Parakaia and did not allow his potatoes to grow. Karanama was present at our dispute with Parakaia. It was confined to him alone. This dispute was brought before a Maori runanga when Parakaia expressed his grief for the wrong he had done in tears.

Our cultivations ceased from that time. Karanama joined with us against Parakaia.

Xed by Hapi

Have you cultivated these places continually? No. Not up to this day.

Where is Te Puoho’s boundary? It is for Te Rauparaha but I am not certain.

Did not Matene give you that clearing you cultivated? Yes because he acknowledged it as ours and gave it back. Hinenuitepo went to take possession of the land.

Who owns the peach trees on Mangaone? Ngati Kauwhata. I don’t object to them.

By Te Rei

Who did Topiora hold the land for? For themselves – their own party.

Didn’t you hear that Hariuha had given Mangaone to Matene? Yes. I heard.

Has Matene a right to Pahiko? I have heard he has – that he obtained it through Riaki who had a cultivation there. This I only heard on Saturday last but I have generally understood that this was Matene’s land.

Arapere – sworn

I live at Manawatu. I belong to Ngati Whakatere.

I know this land. I have a claim at Otuwhatu and Apa.

When I arrived here, Ngati Raukawa were at Kapiti – they came across and built the Maraekuta pa.

Ngati Huia built Whakapawaewae. Te Ao and Rauparaha occupied Whakapawaewae.

Otaki pa was built. Whatanui, Koharoa, Nepia and others occupied it.

Pakakuta was built. Tongia, Tahue, Te Whetu and Mohi Te Huia, Te Matangi, Te Ahoaho, Pehikino were in occupation of this pa.

The people who occupied Whakapawaewae cultivated Katihiku. Of Otaki pa – cultivated at Maringiawai on this side – Papakuta people (Ngati Toa) cultivated this side of the river.

Apa is mine and on to Wahaotemarangai. Puoho made a canoe at this last place. I lived at Apa and then saw a Ngati Tama come to clear land at Pahiko. Puoho objected. Puoho lived at Apa with me. I have never heard of Ngati Huia, Ngati Toa and Ngati Tama were the occupiers.

After Haowhenua, I lived with Matenga – Ngati Pare and I cultivated Otuwhatu. I worked also at Maka’s waerenga with Ngati Pare and Kiharoa. That waerenga extends to Te Paotaonui.

Xed by Hapi

Haven’t you seen Hautere or Aperahama’s in this boundary? Yes.

Have you cultivated these places ever since Haowhenua? Yes. After the Kuititanga and up to the building of the church.

Do you know about the sale? Yes. I came from Manawatu about it. I heard about the objection.

Xed by Rei

Do you know Pahiko? Yes.

Didn’t it extend to Mangaone? Yes. Mangaone is the boundary.

Nere Puratahi – sworn

I live at Otaki and Manawatu. I belong to Ngati Pare, Ngati Whakatere and Ngati Tama.

I have a claim to this land. My boundary goes round this land. The clearing of Kiharoa – Te Taretepuoho – is on the boundary of Karuotewhenua. Where the trees are planted is Parakahia. The stream is Mangaone following the river – where Tupe was killed by my hapu’s – Ngati Mamapoko and Ngati Hinewai – comes out at -----. It goes on to apa and Waka where a man was killed – to Whakahokiahiahia and Makahuri. All these places are cultivated by Ngati Pare and Ngati Whakatere. They are within my boundary. Puratahi is within my boundary. Ngati Huia wish to take it and have included it in their boundary. The people who went to survey were afraid because of the number who obstructed. The bush separates our claim from Ngati Huia’s. Ours are within the bush. This taking of Ngati Huia is a new one. I left Ngati Pare in charge of the land when I went to Manawatu. I went to Manawatu after the church was built.

Xed by Hapi

When did you cultivate on these places? Up to the building of the church and then left the land to Ngati Pare.

Whose are the cultivations at Hautere? Yours.

Do you know about the cultivation at Parakahia? No.

Didn’t I alone stop the survey spoken of by Hemi? No. It was done by a large number of you.

Xed by Rei

You say one side is Rauparaha’s and the other yours? Yes.

Who has the mana over that land above everyone else? Years ago one side of Waitatuke was Tamehana’s and the other Ropata Hurumutu’s. I don’t know now.

Paranihia

I live at Otaki and belong to Ngati Huia.

I have a claim to this land. Aperahama Te Ruru was my brother and I know the land he owned over the river. It did not extend to the mountain.

My land adjoins Tamehana’s and Rakapa’s. Te Takapu is their land.

The Ngati Pare boundary begins at Kiharoa’s Otuwhatu – Parakahia, Matanga o Tupe below Paotaonui, Apa, Whakahokiahiahia ended at Makahuri. Nobody objects to this boundary years ago. These troubles began when Matenga – my husband – wanted to sell the land. Ngati Huia then came forward.

Xed by Rei

Has Matene any right over the land? Yes.

By the court

Matene, Tamehana and Aperahama owned land in the middle of Pahiko.

Kipa Whatanui - sworn

I live at Otaki. I belong to Ngati Huia.

My grandmother was the last witness.

The time trouble came to this land through Ngati Huia. Some of them cultivated at Te Waka. My mother said to me – go and occupy your land and turn Ngati Huia off.

We went and began to cultivate and Ngati Huia saw my mother and me. Ngati Huia said to my mother, come to your land. They said so because they knew Ngati Pare were the owners of the land. Ngati Huia gave my mother the seed potatoes they had taken to plant there.

I lived there and have houses there now and eel baskets. I fed 100 pigs there. My right was through my mother and Matenga. I have been familiar with these cultivations from my childhood. I have trees for snaring birds at Mangaone near Otuwhatu and near Wairarapa.

Ngati Huia never interfered with my occupation.

In 1872, I went with Thomson to survey Wahaotemarangai. I told them where to survey the line shown by Neri. Ngati Huia came and stopped us.

I lived at Apa when my mother died.

Xed by Hapi

Who does the boundary divide? It is Puoho’s boundary. Ngati Pare on one side and Ngati Huia on the other.

Xed by Rei

I admit Matene’s claim at Katihiku. He has land there. I have heard of Pahiko years ago being Matene’s now it is cultivated by Ngati Huia.

I admit Matene’s right to the bush at Pahiko. I mean he has a right to Pahiko proper.

Court adjourned for an hour.

At 2 pm the court resumed.

Tipene Te Wahapiro – sworn

I live at Nelson. I am a Ngati Tama.

I don’t know the land. My grandfather Puohu and my father Wahapiro have a claim to this land. I heard that Puoho gave this land to Ngati Whakatere and Ngati Pare. I heard of the trees that were planted by my father on this land. Karaka trees and Wharangi or Rangira – They were brought from Taranaki.

Puoho was the man who had authority over the land and Te Tuaterangi. I don’t know the boundaries.

Te Puoho was my grand uncle.

Close of Ngati Pare case

The claimants’ case

Rakapa Topiora – sworn

I live at Katihiku. I am a Ngati Parekohatu of Ngati Raukawa.

I have a claim to this land. I lived on this land after we had conquered it at Pa Otaki. Ngati Raukawa had not then arrived.

Waitohe had sent for her tribe to come and live on this land. Ngarangiorehua came – the brother of Waitohe. This land was pointed out to him. He then went to Maungatautari to bring the rest of the tribe. They came to our Otaki Pa.

We went together and planted potatoes to obtain seed for this land. After 2 years we planted potatoes on this land. Matene, Topiora, Waitohe and Rakapa – the people who came from Maungatautari and Matene Topiora and Waitohe – she remained on the land. This is the Haowhenua period.

When we came back from Kapiti, Ngati Raukawa built a pa beside ours. After Haowhenua battle, Rangihaeata and Rauparaha came on this land and lived here and Ngati Raukawa returned to Maungatautari. Rauparaha went with Ngati Raukawa, Ngati Toa and Ngati Awa saw this. Rangihaeata tried to prevent Rauparaha going – so did I.

He was overtaken at Ohau and did not get leave to go. He returned. Ngati Raukawa also remained – went back to Kapiti - about a year after Matene and we came back from Kapiti to this land and then began our permanent settlements of this land up to the Kuititanga. Matene had then gone to the Bay of Islands to fetch Bishop Hadfield. Matene brought Mr. Hadfield and put him at Waikanae with Ngati Awa. They came along the beach to Otaki then peace was made.

After this, Ngati Awa and Ngati Toa sold the whole of the land. Matene, Hakaraia, Tamehana and Karanama went to Waikanae. Hakaraia was the first teacher. Matene went there because his grandmother was a Ngati Awa. A committee sat there. Ngati Awa persisted in selling the land. Matene said to his tribes – no. They consented. Matene prevailed – Ngati Toa – Matene and Ngati Awa fixed the boundary at Kukutauaki. Ngati Raukawa took their line at Kukutauaki because Ngati Parekohatu was one of their hapu’s. Matene and his mother – Topiora – lived then on the land.

At the time Wiremu Kingi left for Taranaki, the disputes with Ngati Huia and Ngati Turanga began with Topiora. This lasted 2 years. The land in dispute began at Waitaheke. Topiora sent for Wi Tako and Matene to adjudicate on this matter. Wi Tako came but Matene would not consent to Wi Tako’s proposal.

Ngati Huia then put sheep on this land so as to take it.

A big meeting was then assembled at Katihiku about the sheep. Ngati Toa and Ngati Raukawa were present. Matene wanted to speak. I got up and prevented him. Ngati Huia said to me – this is not for the purpose of taking the land but because of our connection with you and Matene.

This occupation was frequently disturbed and we then commenced to cut up the land. Pahiko was then the general name of the land and Ngati Huia and Ngati Turanga fixed the boundaries as shown by the red lines on the tracing. My mother died and I took her place in the matter of disputes.

I referred to a committee. This committee was relative to a new boundary and land on the other side of the river near the coach road. Mitai Panetauri was one of the ones who presided with many others. The judgment was given in my favor. I said you occupy your cultivations but I wish hold the whole of the rest of the land or run.

They did not consent for they had laid down their boundaries. After this meeting in 1867 – 1868, Ngati Huia went to take my land at Pahiko. Another committee was called and I again won the case. I maintained my right until Wyles went to survey these lands. I told him personally of my objections.

Angry feelings continue with us up till now about this land.

Court adjourned until 9.30 am tomorrow.

Identification