More Info →Otaki Maori Land Court Minutebook - 28 January 1880.

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Wednesday 28^th January 1880

Court opened at 10 am.

Present – the same

Case continued

Kiriona Whamaro – sworn

I support Tamihana’s statement.

I saw a house belonging to Te Rauanganga at a place marked on plan. Te Karaha was caused to go to Oroua by Epiha. I can’t say how long since. He returned in 1872.

The canoes at Tangimate were ours. The 3 hapu’s had no canoes in that stream. We never saw Pene Te Aunui working at Porotawhao or at Kai a tana kiwi Lake. He died at Otaki.

I am of Te Manea. My hapu have never had anything to do with disputed piece between blue and yellow lines. Its only lately, Hapi laid down the yellow boundary. He got certain of my hapu to support him in maintaining the yellow boundary. Maramarohoe is Ngati Te Manea’s place that is theirs only.

By Hape

Te Rau’s father belonged to Tuwhakahewa. Hakaraia’s subdivision. Ngapahau o pene (ð on plan) was a flax swamp.

We did not see Pene there. Te Rauangaanga was owner of that place. Te Waitohemanga swamp belonged to Te Manea.

Karaha went away when Epiha received money for this land from pakeha’s. Hape wished Te Whakahewa to have a portion south of the blue line and half way to red line. He dug holes to show his boundary in a line with corner peg of Kahukura but I filled them up.

By Assessor

Karanama Kapukai had land from Porotawhao to blue line. The blue line 294ð 18 is right but it should run to Ngakuta Lake 124ð 13’ 13.

Te Teira Te Hinu – sworn

I support evidence of Tamihana.

I did not see Karaha when I first came to 7D. Ruangaanga lived at place marked • on sketch at that time. That place was half Tuwhakahewa and half Ngati Huia.

Toia was his mother an aunt of Tamihana. He got his title from her.

In 1872, he returned to 7D but did not live there. He lived at the pa. I have at Tangimate eel weir for 9 years. I dragged a canoe in there 3 years ago from the beach. I had an eel weir at ww only ourselves worked there.

Panawha Ngarepo – sworn

Rauparaha and Rangihaeata conquered this land then Ngati Raukawa came at their request.

Whatanui went to them then Ngati Huia, 4 hapu’s came to 7 D. Ngati Wehiwehi tried to come but were not allowed. Ngati Huia then went back to Otaki then I came.

Rangiorehua gave this land to Ngati Huia. I felled the bush at Paeroa and cultivated it. I then went to Maramarahoe and Parawaewae and caught eels also at Waiwhakamokai and at waitohemanga lakes and at Makomako.

Karanama’s land is Tikonganui. Tuwhakahewa worked at ww. Namana, Kopi, Kaiwata worked at Te Mapau and Ngatematou. Karaha was there until his death.

Namana worked at Karaka and Waikoere for eels. At Te Warahahara, Whakahewa worked also at Waikariki. I have a home near the gate. South of blue line are houses of Pouawha, Hohaia and Hutana of Ngati Manea. Karaha had a house north of blue line. Namana’s house was noth of blue line that is now Ponewahio’s. Ngati Huia has a house north of blue line. Te Rauangaanga lived there being a relative of Karaha’s who had cultivations ---- of blue line. We don’t object to Tamihana’s claim to north of yellow boundary.

The yellow line belongs to 3 hapu’s. Hakaraia has said truly that it is his section of Tuwhakahewa that has a claim here on the disputed piece.

Court adjourned for an hour.

Ngati Huia was the ancestor. Tuwhakahewa was a grandchild of Ngati Huia’s whose direct descendant was Te Karaha. He also descended from Tuwhakahewa. Hakaraia is also half Whakahewa. The places claimed by you belong to Whakahewa Namana was Te Matau Pene was of Tuwhakahewa Kopi to Ngange and Kaiwhata to Tawhaki. The last was a slave of the others. These persons owned the land between the disputed lines.

The 3 hapu’s have a title from the yellow to the red lines. Karanama’s land was on both sides of the blue line. Te Matou and Tuwhakahewa own the disputed lands. A part of Karokaro belongs to Tamihana so does Tangitemate but outside of north of the yellow line.

Te Mapau is inside the yellow line or south of it. We have no weirs at Te Mapau but catch eels there. Te Karaha worked there for eels and had houses there.

Tuwhakahewa continued there when Karaha went to Rangitikei 14 years ago.

You had houses at Mapau outside but you worked at Tangimate outside the line. Several saw Namana working at wharaurara. Tamihana’s people took eels at Mapau by our sanction and we a crop the line in their land by permission.

By court

There are no eel weirs between Tangimate and Makomako.

Tatana Whataupoko – sworn

Rangiorehua came with Rauparaha and went back for Ngati Raukawa. He was a Ngati Huia.

Te Pahau, Aumunui, Te Wera came from north to Otaki. Rangiorohua gave Porotawhao to those persons. They came at once on to the land. Then Ngati Huia came on the strength of that gift. They all went all over the land on the south side of blue line.

The 3 tribes worked all over the disputed portion but Ngati Huia went to Tangimate. They (3 hapu’s took pigs and birds) that was their working. Ngati Huia worked in the bush and there was no contention.

Fence B was put up by Manea at desire of Hakaraia and Karaha each put up the part next to his own house fence at C.C.

According to native custom, the land //// belongs to Karanama Kapukai. We each took the portion of our respective slave. Ngati Huia’s slaves place was Tangimate. We first got a title through our slaves and then through gift of Rangiorehua.

The 3 hapu’s took possession of all the swamps and caught eels. Cultivation was confined to within the fence at Paeroa. Tuwhakahewa caught eels in Waikakariki Lake also Namana at Wawa at weirs.

At Waikohere, Karaha’s children took eels. Mapau Lagoon is at edge of a swamp leading to Tangimate. No objection was made to our working Mapau. Half the swamp of Makomako is on one side of the blue line and half on the other.

Tamihana’s people never worked on either side in the swamp. The 3 tribes caught eels there and were not disturbed.

Karokaro had houses belonging to Hakaraia and Pouawha near it. Matiu and Huia felled the timber and cultivated food there (karaka) – Metera Te Karaha Kapa Te Karaha and descendants of Ngati Huia. Matiu left no children. Hohepa and Nikorima, I have heard are his children. They are in waikato. They are of Hakaraia’s hapu but belong to our side.

Huia Matiu and Hakaraia put up houses there. At ww the 3 hapu’s worked. Te Manea worked at Waiwhakamokai and Waitohemanga. At Waihahere is in the bush.

By Tamihana

Ngatimahi have a title to this land also Karanama. Namana derived his title from driving off Wehiwehi. No one thrust him off.

Ponewahio’s houses were burnt down. You did not burn them down. The stockyard belongs to us all. I bought some rails you the totara trees. I have a title to that stockyard. We all got Davis to put it up.

After 1864, Pia lived in Karaha’s house after he went to Rangitikei. I mean a neice of Pia’s Te Rauangaanga was her husband. He was partly a Ngati Whakahewa and partly Ngati Huia.

Court adjourned at 5.30 pm.

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