More Info →Otaki Maori Landcourt Minutebook - 10 December 1878.

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Tuesday 10^th December 1878

Court opened at 10 am.

Present – the same

Takapuotekorohiko – a3 – r0 – p1

Roere – sworn

I now find that this plan represents a piece belonging to Rana and others and not to myself and those mentioned in the award made by the court on December 5th. There is no approved map of the piece we are entitled to.

Peneaha corroborated and the other claimants.

Mangapouri – Plan 43 – 3 pieces in one – a4 – r3 – p0, a6 – r3 – p14, a16 – r1 – p0

Poutama and others

Tamihana Ranapiri appeared and stated he was authorized to appear for claimants.

The land was originally belonging to other people when I came I took possession of it. I recognize the land as shown on the plans the land included in my application commenced Orungarea on the Oria and went as far as Ruapuha.

I originally claimed the whole block my ancestors came here in the old Maori times and they took the mana over this land. They were in arms at the time the people of this land were not exterminated by them but they were not able to drive my parents off they acquired in my parents occupation.

After that the original occupants endeavored to take the land but my parents prevented them doing so.

After that they cleared and cultivated it along the whole of the river bank. They had the principal cultivations over the land.

After that land purchases commenced. My parents were parties thereto in their own right. The Ahuaturanga and Rangitikei and Manawatu were lands they were paties to the selling.

Afterwards the land was divided between the hapu’s at my instance. My subdivision of Aorangi was approved by the Native Land Court at Foxton in March 1878 as shown on the plans of upper Aorangi (sheets 1, 2 and 3) 7256 acres were awarded to me as my portion. If I had made the subdivisions according to my cultivations my friends would have had no land that is to say Ngati Tauera and Hone Meihana.

The division was made as our parents would have wished and the tribes lived under the law and the faith this was before 1873.

Objectors challenged.

Hoani Meihana appeared.

Kawana Hunia appeared.

Major Keepa appeared.

Watene Te Ranginui appeared.

Hamuera Te Rakokaratea

There are five heads of hapu’s represented by Kawana Hunia’s party. I wish Watene Ranginui to conduct our case.

Hoani Meihana – sworn

I belong to Rangitane. I live on the land now before the court. I live at Oroua Bridge there are three parties before the court.

Before the subdivision of this land by the natives I had authority over all this land. The first subdivision was at Awahuri the second was at the court at Foxton which was a confirmation of the first. The court heard the case on myself and Tapa Te Wata we wished the subdivision confirmed or annulled I said I would -------- my claim by making my boundary at Orungarea on the Oroua to a place called Kotuku. I said to court that the land running from Orungarea to Kairakau is for Ngati Apa that is for Ngati Tauera section of it and the remaining portion (upper) is for Ngati Kauwhata.

After that I stated my claims to the land. I didn’t state the original claim because everyone knew I had it from my parents. I stated to the court the claim I had with Ngati Apa and Ngati Kauwhata. The three tribes lived and cultivated over the land and that led to subdivision it was not done under ancestral title but by voluntary arrangement.

If Ngati Apa had been ally opponents we should have had to show ancestral title in arranging a subdivision. After I told the court all my case I stood back to allow any objectors to come forward. The court approved the subdivision.

There were only 2 persons out of 8 tribes present who stood forward Kawana Hunia and Keepa were the two they said the subdivision was wrong because all their claims were included in Ngati Kauwhata.

The court overruled their objection.

I claim the portion awarded t ome. I want no alteration made.

Watene Te Ranginui

They would be satisfied with the judgment in the lower parts containing 7105 acres and 4925 acres shown on sheets.

Tapa Te Wata said he would agree to it.

Hoani Meihana stated he would be satisfied and would have not more to say with respect to middle or upper Aorangi.

Ngati apa

Kawana Hunia – sworn

Hamuera Te Reikaratea – sworn

I belong to Ngati Apa and all their hapu’s.

I was agreeable to the subdivision between Ngati Kauwhata, Ngati Tauera and Rangitane.

I gave the land to Tapa.

I never thought they would have interrupted me in the whole block but they were angry that is the Ngati Apa, Hunia, Keepa are the principal ones.

This land belonged to myself alone from my ancestors down, not the rest of Ngati Apa.

Ngati Tauera were the principal owners.

I cut a piece from Orungarea to Kairakau for myself. I don’t agree to Watene arrangement about letting the former judgment stand.

Kawana Hunia:

I live at Rangitikei. I am a Ngati Apa.

I claim this land as having inherited it from ancestry. Tapa has no right to say he took the land by conquest. Rauparaha and Matene were those who fought against us. I took revenge as has been stated in former courts. Chiefs of Ngati Apa, Muaupoko and Rangitane made peace with Rauparaha and Rangihaeata. Rangihaeata said to Hakeke if you see anyone coming from Otaiera do not interfere with. He then went to Kapiti. After this Ngati Raukawa under Whatanui came down. I did not look on Tapa as a principal chief in Ngati Raukawa. He was not of much account. Peace had been made and these parties used to commit stray murders they caught 10 women on the banks of Rangitikei but were ordered to send them home again, this pleased Ngati Apa who allotted some land to the persons who came with the women, these persons were Ngati Kauwhata and Ngati Wehiwehi. The pieces were Mangawhata and Rotonuiahau. They were allowed to go on both sides of the river.

This was done by principal chiefs of Ngati Apa in runanga. My father was one these people lived there. There were only 10 of them. These chiefs did not give the whole of the land. I have never interfered with these allotments. I protected Tapa and his father, a great number of us lived on the Oroua. My hapu called Ngati Hahu? and Ngati Tauira lived there also the other hapu’s called Ngati Tuanuku, Ngati Tumokai also Ngati Rawhe, Ngati Tai and Muaupoko, they lived and cultivated there, I deny that I ever gave up to Tapa the whole of the land, my cultivations I have marked on the tracing the one I now produce, the names are written on it.

We have burial places and cultivations all along the river bank. These were not given to Tapa. After this Hakeke went to Rangitikei with the six hapu’s, they all went because they wanted to prevent it being a highway for war parties, Te Auhahi was told by Hakeke to return and remain in charge of his pa’s and cultivations. There were 10 composed of Ngati Tauira?, Ngati Apa, they lived at Awahuri and they are now buried there. They lived for 10 years along the river bank and then went to Awahuri, Kereopa and Tapa and his family lived together there peacefully.

There was a man named Herengutu who was a teacher who proposed that they should return to Maungatautari. Te Kawa father of Takana did go north with Herengutu. Tapa and others remained. When the King movement was started Takana went up to Waikato to fight but he had to come back and I object to his living on my land. Ngati Kauwhata is the principal hapu of Ngati Raukawa the only land which I gave them was 4000 acres at Awahuri and other places besides they may have about 8000 acres in all.

I am the owner of the middle and upper Aorangi and I repudiate any of these subdivisions except the Rangitane portion which is lower Aorangi which was arranged long ago. In the land purchase operations I was the principal person concerned, Te Ahuaturanga and Rangitikei Manawatu Blocks were the blocks. I proposed to sell the whole of the land as far as Ahuaturanga. Hirawani asked us if we really intended it he asked me to let him manage as he liked and I agreed.

The Rangitane chiefs objected to the sale and he came to me again he told me that Rangitane objected and were siding with Ngati Raukawa. The land was sold in the end with the support of Ngati Apa. Hirawani suggested that the boundary should be the Oroua River, Ngati Apa sent a message to him telling him not have the river as the boundary. They finally arranged that Taonui Stream should be the boundary. Tapa had nothing to do with the arrangements he was living at Awahuri

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Court adjourned until Monday.

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