More Info →Otaki Maori Landcourt Minutebook - 7 April 1874

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Tuesday 7^th April 1874

Place – the same Present – the same

Puketoi or Waiohanga

Rawiri Te Wanui applied that each of the 3 strips shown on the tracing be heard separately as Ringawh--- - one portion of it is claimed by separate and distinct people.

Peene Arama and others opposed and requested that it be heard as a whole.

Rawiri Te Wanui said – we have reconsidered our opinion relative to a Kaiwhakahaere and wish that Rei Parewhanaki be allowed to conduct our case instead of Rawiri.

Rawiri Te Wanui – sworn

This land was cut by me and my brothers the Ngati Maiotaki hapu. No other hapu had any claim within ours. We first took up our abode on the site of this house we are in thus was 1830. There was no other hapu of Ngati Raukawa with us there we were alone. We were here over 3 years when the Haowhenua fight took place. At that time there had been no division of the land by Ngati Raukawa. They were afraid of Ngati Awa.

There was a hapu – Ngati Tuhourangi living near the Otaki River then but they were the only people near to us. It was not till after Haowhenua that Ngati Raukawa came up and occupied this land which was then all bush. We still occupied this place. No Ngati Raukawa were between us and the mill. The hapu’s of Ngati raukawa then occupied land up the river but they did interfere with our land. I therefore prefer my claim to this land.

Ngati Maiotaki had been here 2 years when they went to cut up this land. Waihoanga the principal of Ngati Maiotaki at that time were Matangi Kingi Ahoaho. We went together to cut up this land. No member of Ngati Maiotaki was absent at that time – 3 ofthose persons are now alive. I am one. Kepa Kerikeri is another. Manihara Te Rau is the other. The land was not cultivated then.

After Haowhenua (within the Ringawhati) a clearing was made.

Pene Arama said – my claim is outside of the block claimed by Rawiri Wanui and known as Waihoanga. All my hapu are on the other two strips with me.

Pitini said – I claim waihoanga. I bring 5 witnesses in support of my claim. I will open and conduct the case – Ngatingarangi is our hapu.

Pitini said – I am not baptized. I will speak the truth. I live at Waikawa and Otaki.

I see the map and know the land it describes. I have no undividual claim to the land but those have for whom I am to conduct the case. Rawiri has no claim on this land. Our claim to this land is through Te Kingi Ahoaho who gave it to us.

In 1855, I lived with Rawiri and others. They are my relations. I had been here some time when Tamehana of Waikawa came.

We went to Te Kingi’s place. Tamehana asked Kingi a question because he had heard that Kingi had the mana over the land from Raniuru at the sea to the mountain. The question was – Why do you claim all this land? Kingi said I claim all this land through my wife Rangiwhaea and given by Tungia to her. Kingi said that Ngati Maiotaki were settled on this land by his direction. Kingi ahoaho was a Ngati Maiotaki. If at the time of Kuititanga that King gave this land to Ngati Ngarangi. Kingi took Ngati Ngarangi on to the land - Waihoanga and pointed boundaries to us – (shown on tracing).

It was then Ngati Ngarangi commenced to catch birds on the mountain. Rawie at that time did not object while Kingi was alive nor see other persons used the mountain. We have used the mountain for catching birds up to the time of the survey. It was only summer that we were aware of any objection when Rawiri’s party came to object to our survey. Te Reinga wanted money – he went to Wellington for some. There was no objection then to us – Rawiri went a telegram to object – to money being paid to Ringa – but he got some money on this land.

Xed by Rei

Did you see the giving of this land by Kingi to Ngati Ngarangi? No. I heard of it.

Is this your claim through Kingi? Yes.

Had Kingi’s wife more right to the land than her husband? Yes.

Has she a right now? She is dead and Kingi has the right now.

When were these boundaries pointed out by Kingi to Ngati Ngarangi? At the Kuititanga.

Who were these boundaries pointed out to? To Kaeo, Patoromu and others.

Did all Ngati Maiotaki consent to this giving? I don’t know.

Te Reinga – I will speak the truth. I am a Ngati Ngarangi and I claim to the land.

I live at Otaki.

I claim through my father Pehima Patoromu and others. These persons occupied this land a long time ago. Their occupation was bird catching. They had houses at the mountain side of Ringawhati. They never allowed you to elapse without catching birds. From Kingi’s death no one has interfered with our occupation of bird catching. The trees we used are still on the land. I haven’t seen Rawiri, Kepa or others going over or on to this block.

The persons claiming along side our boundary would not interfere with us. Natana used the land north of us. I never went on to Natana’s land. Hapi Te Horohau had the land to the south of us. Last year I caught a great many birds there last year – none this year.

Kingi gave this land to my fathers. We lived at Hakuai before Kingi gave us the land. He gave it to us because of relationship. We hadn’t sufficient land before. There was no ceremony over this gift.

Xed by Rei

Didn’t your parent live with Ngati Pare? Perhaps he did a long time ago.

Didn’t Kingi’s hapu have a right over the land? No. Only those Kingi admitted.

Don’t other people use this land for bird catching? No. We only.

Xed by Hapi Tangitewhata

Didn’t I object to your receiving money in Wellingtion on account of this land? Yes you did.

Kerehana – sworn

I am a Ngati Ngarangi and Ngati Wehiwehi.

I live at Otaki and have a claim to this land through my fathers whom received it from Te Kingi.

This was at the time I lived at the Mill with my parents. My father took me up into the mountain and showed me the land he had received from Te Kingi – right up to the boundary of the Queen.

Certain Miro trees at Waihoanga were pointed out where they snared birds. Maramakopai was also pointed out where they obtained water for catching pigeons. He pointed out the tatumanu. Natana’s piece was pointed out so that I should not go on to his land. This boundary was marked by a pole.Hapi Horohau’s boundary was also pointed out.

I saw the places where parents caught birds. We go there for birds when the berries are ripe. When Kingi was alive, I did not hear during Kingi’s life any ----- to us by Rawiri or Kepa. We have used this land up to the time of the meeting at Manawatu relative to Rangitikei.

About the time of that meeting, my father drowned and was buried here at Otaki. My parents were the first to go on this land and find the trees to snare birds etc.

It was only when money was taken on account of this land that trouble arose respecting I put in a plan of our claim.

Xed by Rei

To whom did Kingi give this land? To Petuha, Kaeo, Patoromu Te Akuaku, Takuha and others.

At what time? I heard it was before Kuititanga. There was no writing.

Was it Kingi who put in the pole as a boundary? Yes. It extended to the government boundary but there was no government ---- them. I have surveyed it and that is the map.

Why didn’t you take your boundary up to the government boundary? Because I hadn’t money to pay the survey or the lines indicate the direction of my claim.

Had you two fathers? Yes. The man drowned was my uncle - my mother’s brother. I know Hape, he has no cultivations within this block nor has Ngati Huia any claim. Kingi only pointed out the boundaries to my hapu. No other persons at Waihoanga to catch birds. We have used this land since 1852.

Xed by Hapi

Have you a cultivation at Waihoanga? No. A tree where I snared called Te Akatea – a Miro tree – You objected to me taking money in Wellington – was not one this block but I received £20 not withstanding your objection. I have not heard of Karanama’s boundary at Ringawhati. Ururoa’s cultivation is four or five chains outside of my claim.

Court adjourned for an hour.

At 2 pm the court resumed.

Moari – I will speak the truth.

I am of Ngati Kapu and live at Otaki.

I know the land under investigation. I have a claim to it.

After the Kuititanga and the natives had occupied the land from the sea to the mill, I lived at totaranui. There I saw Kaeo on this land. I also saw Kingi. He was taking Kaeo and Patoronui on to the land to show it to them. They were one night sleeping on the mountain. Next morning, they returned and on arrival at our kainga, they were detained for food. We then heard Kingi giving of the land to Kaeo and others.

After this, I heard Patoronui relate to that the land had been given to them by Te Kingi. I have also seen these persons going on to the mountain. I was the guide. I saw Patoronui, Kaeo, akutekku, Te Ura and others on the mountain. They went by their road Waihoanga. No other persons were admitted with them. I have seen them there for many years and I therefore say that this is their place.

When their children grew up, they went with their fathers on to this land – parents are now dead but the children know their land because it was pointed out to them. Te Ringa is one of the children. Ataua Tui is another. Oriwia is another. Ramari and Te Ura is another and Kereama Tanutatai.Petuha is an old man. These are the persons who occupy permenantly this land.

At the hui at Manawatu of late years that I have had a claim – I have seen the boundary they pointed out to me. Kipihana and Waiharo have a claim on Waihoanga. I live outside this block near the mill. The persons who pointed out the boundaries I have named.

Pitini said – Moari’s claim is admitted.

Moari xed by Rei

Kingi gave this land to your people? I heard so from Kingi and I have seen these people using the land.

Are Te Ura and Akuaku different persons? No. One man. All the land given to us by Kingi has not been surveyed by us. The land was not given to these 2 persons only. It was given to them and the others followed afterwards.

Were these children born here? Yes they were born at ----. Kereama Tanutatai was not.

What hapu was Kingi? He had many hapu’s. Ngati Maiotaki, Ngati Ngarangi and many others.

Karehana – sworn

I live at Haruatahi.

I belong to ----.

My wife has a claim. The persons I know to have a claim on this land are Kaeo, Te Ura, Takuha. These are the only persons I know. I came here from Porirua when Kingi’s pole was set up at Pukekaraka.

When I came here to Tainui, I was recognized by my relative Mere Hape. She and Wiremu Hape her husband detained me here. I lived with them at Otaki. Hapi took me on to his land at Haruatahi. He divided his land with me. He gave me the lower portion and retained the upper. I cultivated that he gave me and after I went on to a portion of Ngati Ngarangi’s near to it and which was given to them by ----.

It was then, I lived with my wife through whom I have admitted to this land.

I followed Ringa to Waihoanga to catch birds. I was a stranger to the mode of catching birds and I went to ----- adopted here. After seeing Ringa catch the birds, I went with his father into the bush and saw their houses which are now broken down and their drinking troughs. Some of which are still around. I am a stranger in these parts but there are the only persons whom I have named that I have ever seen in these parts.

When we ordered Wyles to survey this land, we pointed out where the sites of the houses and the drinking troughs. Ria and Te Kepa came to interfere with our survey but we paid no heed to them.

Xed by Rei

All I heard before was that Kingi had given this land to Ngati Ngarangi. The people who told me are in court. Ringa is Kingi’s widow and she is now in court. I only said 2 trees – one of ringa’s and the other another man’s.

Court adjourned until 9.30 am tomorrow.

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