More Info →Otaki Maori Land Court Minutebook 2 - 5 March 1874

Description

Thursday March 5^th 1874

Place – the same

Present – the same

Henare Herekau applied for the hearing of his claim after that of Wi Parata.

Mr. Booth said that the survey was completed but it has not been submitted for approval.

Ngarara

Wi Parata said his witnesses have not arrived and applied for an adjournment of the claim granted

Manawatu Kukutauaki No. 2 – 800 acres at Manawatu

Henare Herekau applied for subdivision. It has been surveyed. It has not been ----. The court said it must first be -----.

Hoani Taipua said it is correct, I went with the surveyor.

Maunganui – Waikanae

Wi Parata said I apply for a certificate of the title to this land in the name of the governor. I have sold the land to the government and I want to convey it to the government. It is a portion of the Ngarara Block for which an interlocutory order was made at Wellington last year. The subdivision claim has not been ?

Cannot be heard at present.

Muhunoa

Roera Hukiki said that he wished this claim to be heard. Ngati Kauwhata have no claim.

Mr. Booth said that Ngati Whakatere wished to be present at the hearing of this land.

Puaratu said I am a Ngati Whakatere and we have no claim to Muhunoa.

Herekau said all the claimants and counter claimants to this land are here in the court.

Hukiki said I wish I could have time to prepare my case and by an adjournment until tomorrow.

Granted

Piritaha No. 2

Moutere examined by Hemi Ransfield said

I have had a conversation with Hema Te Ao relative to this land. Hema? Right. I can substantiate Narati’s claim. My name should also be in the grant.

Hema Te Ao said

Moutere is married to a European and not to Ngarete. If her husband’s name be in the grant, it will be that of the European.

The court said it was not legal to insert the name of a European in the grant for Native Land.

Moutere said

I wish my name and that of Ngarete be in the grant without restrictions.

Ordered that memorial of ownerships be issued in favor of Moutere Te Aniaki, Ngarati Te Tewe.

Te Ahutangutu No. 3 - continued

Te Wiata said my title to a portion of this land I inherit from my father - portion pointed out on plan. I have not surveyed my portion - it is not mine, it is my sisters. I have sold my portion.

Ramari - (female) - said I do not understand a map. I believe a portion of my land is included in the plan.

The court suggested that bothe parties should take plan on to the ground and have the portion claimed by Ramari marked on the plan.

Case adjourned to admit of the parties to go on the ground.

Court adjourned for an hour.

At 12 o'clock the court resumed.

Te Ahutangutu No. 3 - continued

Ramari - I was a child when the boundaries were laid off. I have been on the ground with the claimants also - the interpreter and clerk to the R. M. Courts Mr. Knocks.

It was found that Ramari's claim ceasing withe the road and that her land was not included in the portion shown on the map.

The court decided that Ramari had no claim.

Ropata Ransfield said their name should be on the grant as Tiemi is our brother.

Tiemi Ransfield asked for an order in his favor only without restrictions.

Ordered that memorial of ownership to made in favor of Tiemi Ransfield.

Takapu No. 1 & 2

Claim read.

Former minutes read and translated.

Kararaina said - I will call Natana.

Hapi said - I will call Tamihana and Erena.

Natana Pipito - sworn

I know the land in dispute. I have no claim to it. I live at Manawatu at Awahou. I belong to Patikohuru on one side, I also belong to Ngati Huia. I refer to a short portion of Kararaina's statement. I agree to what she has said that she is the first - she and Roera have the prior claim to the land.

Marks were put into certain trees by their parents. This is the boundary between us and them. I am unable to indicate the boundaries on the plan. The tree which was marked is still standing. It was a hinau tree. Takapu was the name of the land. Te Pekapeka was adjoining land. This marking of trees commenced at the edge of the bush that is outside of Kararaina's boundary line is at that time. She and Ihakara disputed the boundary and that line was laid off. This is Kararaina and Roera's title. Ihakara's portion is the other side away to the boundary being marked on these trees. At that time I knew that Ngati Huia fires on a portion of that land. This is all I have to say.

Xd by Hapi

Is not this a portion of Porotawhao Block? It is not.

Did you not hear of a meeting called by Ngati Huia relative to one of the boundaries of Kararaina's land?

Were you not aware that this boundary was between Muaupoko on one side and Kararaina on the other? I have heard but do not know the position of the boundary.

Have you heard of my conversation with Ihakara relative to the pieces at Kereru? I have not heard a thing you and I conversed together.

Have you informed Ngatituara of this conversation? I do not know which you mean.

Is not Kereru Erenas? It is not.

Was not Erina's father the first to light a fire there?

Hapi said I will call

Tamihana te Koia - sworn

I live at Porotawhao - belong to Ngati Huia.

I do not know this land Takapu. The Takapu which I know is that included in Kararaina's claim which she has surveyed. Takapu is within that boundary - pointed out - grants to Kararaina. Kararaina's land we laid down the boundary together (this is the land pointed). Our survey commenced at Porokaiaoa. The boundary between Te Whatanui and Ngati Huia.

I went to point out the boundary. Kiriona went with me. We traversed this boundary to Te Uku - that line is a straight one which now shown colored pink on the map straight from Te Uku to Kereru - the inland boundary. At this time Kararaina said nothing to me about the new boundary. Kararaina was present at the time of this survey. When this survey was ended I heard of no other Takapu that that included in this red line.

I was present at the investigation of Kararaina's claim to Oturoa before Judge Munro at Otaki. I did not say anything at the time because the line was straight and it was the proper boundary. The land was granted to Kararaina and it is only during the last 12 months that I have heard of this new line of hers.

If Te Whatanui had a claim at the time of Te Kuititanga since that time none of his descendants have lit fires on this land. They have exercised no rights over this land. Any fires that have been lit there were Ihakara's. My fires were kindled and have continued to burn up to the present time.

By Kararaina

Did not Kiriona say that Takapu was within my boundary? Yes.

You said we went to another to lay off this boundary? Yes.

Did you not understand at the investigation before Judge Munro that I had a claim outside of that? I did not hear.

Have you a cultivation on that land? I have.

Have you a house? No I have not.

Why did you not build a house? I went there to catch eels.

Is your eel pa at Te Takapu? No in the stream at Te Uku.

Case adjourned for the evidence of two other witnesses - Ihakara and Erena.

Takapuokaingaraka

This claim has been ajudicated on under the name of Pukeroa and ordered to Ngati Huia.

Dismissed.

Court adjourned until 10 am tomorrow.

Identification