Tuesday June 28th 1870
Otaki
Present – Thos H. Smith - Judge Ropata Ngarongomate – Assessor
Mr. E Woon – Interpreter.
Notices read.
Court sat at 10 am.
Te Whakarangirangi No. 2 – Hoani Taipua and others
Adjourned case continued from pp
Case called – No appearance.
Claim dismissed – (having been advertised 3 times).
Te Hauai No. 2 – Hoani Taipua
Adjourned case.
Case called – No appearance.
Case, Dismissed.
Tauaroa No. 2 – Hutana and others
Adjourned case (continued from pp 688 in this book).
Case called – No appearance.
Claim dismissed.
Hakuai No. 3 – Parakaia Te Pouepa
Adjourned case (continued from pp 687 in this book).
Case called – No appearance of claimant or counter claimant.
Case dismissed.
Rekereke – Tamihana Te Rauparaha
Adjourned case (continued from pp 688 in this book).
Tamihana Te Rauparaha – appeared
Stated that Mr. Knight surveyed the land. I was not present, had not summoned him.
Plan before the court not signed, not certified, received as a sketch.
Tamihana – Sworn.
I put in a sketch of my claim. It has been surveyed by C. S. Knight. It was surveyed in 1868 before Himatangi claim was heard by Native Land Court.
I pointed out boundaries and the boundaries were marked. The pegs still stand except one which has been carried away by the flood.
I claim certificate in my own name. Claims as a cultivation belonging to father (Te Rauparaha). It is in my occupation now. Cultivated last before my going to Kukutanaki about 7 years ago. It was fenced. The fence on the east side still stands. The others are gone.
Objectors challenged.
Rakapa Kahoki – appeared and stated that there were other objectors who were not present.
Rakapa stated that she claimed a portion of land included in claim of Tamihana. Did not know of survey. Some of the land belonged to Ngatihuia and some by side of Otaki River to Matene Te Whiwhi.
Matene Te Whiwhi appeared and stated that he thought the survey of Tamihana included land claimed by him. Drew a sketch but it did not appear clear what portion of the land was claimed.
Rakapa and Matene directed to employ a surveyor to go out and see boundaries of claim and point out to him those claimed by them.
Further hearing adjourned to Friday 1st July at 10 am.
Continued pp (continued at pp 750 this book).
Paremata – Tamihana Te Rauparaha
Adjourned case (from pp 690 in this book).
Tamihana Te Rauparaha – Sworn.
I claim this land. The sketch before the court shows my claim correctly.
(Sketch before court with papers).
Witness traced boundaries on sketch as given in application, linkage not correct.
I claim certificate in my own favor. No other person is interested. Claims it as having been cultivated by my father Te Rauparaha, claims as only son of Te Rauparaha. I and Ruta have cultivated this land. The surveyors lines on the east are “paenga mara’. On the east of line 880 links was Pekeia’s ‘mara’. This land south of the south of line 2.200 links belonged to several. It is a ‘paenga mara’. This land belonged solely to Te Rauparaha in his lifetime.
Objectors challenged.
Reupena Te Kairangi – appeared – as counter claimant.
Claimed the land as belonging to his wife Wikitoria (deceased) of Ngatitoa to whom the land belonged.
Oriwia stated that she appeared as counter claimant. Raupena appeared for her.
Court adjourned at 1 pm for an hour.
Court resumed at 2 pm.
Paremata – continued – parties not present
Reupena Te Kairangi for counter claimant Oriwa – Sworn.
Lives at Ohau. Of Te Mateawa. Ngatiraukawa.
I know the land called Paremata. I did not see the survey. I have not seen the pegs. Paremata belongs to all Ngatitoa to a great many persons. The year of Haowhenua, it was given to Wikitoria Huruhuru who was my wife. It was given by all the tribe. I heard Tungia say to Wikitoria “me noho tonu koe ki Paremata”.
There were other Ngati Toa chiefs also ‘nana I tuku’. Te Teke Te Hua. Te Tahu a Rehu. There were others also and they gave it to Wikitoria alone. Their ‘tuahine’. We (I and Wikitoria) occupied and cultivated kumara and ‘kanga’ up to the time of the building of Rangiatea. The year Te Rauparaha returned after detention on board of Mau’s war be. Were still occupying. After this I went to Porirua as a teacher for Ngatitoa there and my wife accompanied me and left the land but did not give it up. In the year of Waitara we returned and went to Ohau, Oriwa came with us. She and Ropata – Oriwa is the daughter of Tungia who was ‘tungane’ of Huruhuru by different fathers but same mother – Rangiwhaia. Tungia was one of the Ngatitoa chiefs who took the country. Pakakuta was the Ngatitoa ‘pa’ on the other side of Rangiuru near its junction with Otaki River. Their ‘pa’ was on one side and the cultivation on the other side of the river. 3 years after gift of the land to us.
Rauparaha came and cultivated the side next to Waiariki and we cultivated lower down. We were a numerous party. Rauparaha’s party also was numerous. He and his slaves. Pekeia and Ngati Kauhata were also cultivating between us and Otaki. They had land there. Raparaha did not join in the gift to Wikitoria. He was of another section of Ngatitoa. The land Paremata belonged to Tungia’s section. Te Rauparaha’s ‘pa’ was at Otaki. We and he ceased together to cultivate at Paremata. The year Rangiatea was built neither ‘pana’d the other. I saw Tamihana and Ruta cultivating before Rangiatea but not since. We also have not cultivated since. Oriwia which was brought before the Native Land Court and dismissed. Paremata belonged to Tungia’s party because they felled the bush and cultivated. It was only afterwards that Rauparaha came. After Haowhenua, Tungia and party went away ‘ko te take tenei I mahue ai’ and left it to Wikitoria. Rauparaha and Rangihaeata alone of Ngatitoa remained and Wikitoria remained as being the wife of myself, a Ngatiraukawa man. It was a year after Te Kuititanga that Rauparaha came to cultivate at Waiariki. It was because Wikitoria was married to a Ngatiraukawa man that she remained, otherwise she would have gone with Tungia.
Paremata is the only land which Tungia’s portion of Ngatitoa gave to anybody after Haowhenua. Ngatitoa has no other land here. It was after Haowhenua that the land was given.
Oriuria Hurumutu – Sworn.
At Otaki of Ngatitoa. Wife of Ropata Hurumutu.
I claim a portion of this land that portion near Waiariki.
20 Ngatitoa chiefs (some named) ‘nana tana mahinga’. Evidence as to clearing of bush by Ngatitoa before Haowhenua. A portion given by Tungia to Te Aho Aho and Matangi. 5 years before Haowhenua. We were away at Kapiti when the fighting began. After Waikato came we returned not to Pakakuta but to Haowhenua. One of my ‘matua’ was killed at Haowhenua ‘kotahi to po ki Haowhenua’. Returned to Kapiti and then crossed to Waikanae to help Ngatiawa to build ‘pa’ at Kena Kena. Haowhenua – Otaki ‘pa’ was left by Ngatiraukawa and Rauparaha and the ‘pa’ was burnt by Ngatiawa. I and my ‘matua’ followed Rauparaha to Ohau and stopped him from going. He was on the way to Maungatautari. Took Ngatiraukawa chiefs and Rauparaha back to Kapiti – Te Kuititanga. Hadfield came in 1859. The year before Kohimarama. I came to Otaki to be near church and asked Kingi Te Aho Aho for a ‘mahinga kai maku’. I asked him because he was a relative of Wikitoria – sister of Tungia who was occupying there. Wikitoria objected and asked why he did not give some other piece. He said ‘kia hoki to kotiro ki to korua wahi ano’. I took fencing there and some of the Ngatiraukawa people went and began to mark off boundaries there. Ther was a scuffle and Maika of Ngatiraukawa got hurt and ‘mate noa iho’.
Case for counter claimant – closed.
Decision of court against counter claimant.
Fee for hearing £1 demanded from Reupena Te Kairangi.
Court adjourned at 4 pm.
