February 2nd 1869
Present – Henry A. H. Munro Esquire – Judge Ihaia Porutu – assessor
Paretao -Pursuant to adjournment from Rangitikei
W. Walter Buller appeared as agent for the crown.
Parakaia Te Pouepa – sworn
I belong to the Ngati Turanga.
I claim a portion of the land shown on the plan before the court. It belonged to Rangitane tribe in former times. It afterwards belonged to Ngati Raukawa. They have owned it for 30 years. They migrated here, and lived on the land from here to Rangitikei. They lived on the land before the court from Kawaroa to Paretao. They used to catch eels on it. There is no water on the Paretao, the eels were on the Kawaroa which is outside. Wairaka was the man who lived on this piece. He was a papa of mine. He was the owner of it.
Parekaiariki Te Taka Te
Te Rahui Parehura
Tuhangahanga Wairaka
Parakaia Te Pouepa Hori and Te Rei
Wairaka did not reside upon the piece shown on the map but he used it as a landing place for his canoes. I myself have lived on this block. I and my relatives. I first went to live there in 1835. I lived on it until 1845. I and others claim the whole of the land within the red boundary on the plan. The others are Te Kuru, Kuha, Rangiheuia, Te More. It was these who lived and had houses on the block. In 1845 we left this land and went to Himatangi, but we used to return occasionally. We had no cultivation on this piece; they were to the south of the piece. We lived on this block because it was a convenience place. We had two wharepuni’s on it. The whole of the land outside is crown land.
The land to the north adjoining is The Awahou block, was sold to Mr. McLean by Ihakara and party. We all had an interest in it. I and others pointed out the boundaries. I did not share in the payment of the land sold by Ihakara but I did in the payment for Motoa on the east side of this block adjoining – I got £100. The land to the south was sold by Ihakara and party. I did not get any of the payment. When the adjoining land Awahou was sold, it was I who caused this block to be reserved, I and Wereta. Mr. McLean offered £100 for the reserve but we would not take it, had he offered £200 or £300, Wereta, Te Kuru and I would have accepted it. We reserved it as a residence. I only received payment for Motoa. It is part of the Awahou block but is some distance from this block – Paretao. Wereta has also a claim on this land we claim conjointly. Wereta first lived on this block in 1852. It was I who consented to the sale of the Awahou block surrounding this. Had I not consented it would not have been sold. My name is not in the deed, as I was not a seller of land, when the Awahou was sold.
I objected to the sale of this block and Wereta and I caused it to be reserved, this was in 1858. In 1864 Iheard that Wereta had offered this land to Mr. Buller, on the 5th August. I went to Mr. Buller. I asked him about it. I told him it belonged to Wereta and me conjointly. Mr. Buller denied my claim. The next morning I came on to the land to mark out a boundary of a piece of the land which he Wereta might sell if he chose and I laid out the line shown on the plan (tracing) A. B.
This was a new boundary in order to let Wereta sell a portion of the land on the 26th August. I put in posts at each end of the line. I informed Mr. Buller that I had divided the land and that Wereta might sell the portion marked out for him. Wereta objected to the land being divided and asked me to allow him to sell the whole. He told me that he and Hakopa had asked £1000 for it. I said if it contained 700 acres we should get £3000. Had £3000 been offered, I would have consented to the sale. Mr. Buller’s offer was £400. Hakopa said he would take £600 as Wereta was determined to sell. I went several times to Mr. Buller to speak about the land, he would not listen to me and then I wrote to the government and also to Dr. Featherston about it. Dr. Featherston did not reply to my letter. I saw Dr. Featherston afterwards and told him that I had a claim on the block. Dr. Featherston referred me to Mr. Buller four months after I had marked the boundary. Mr. Buller paid £500 to Wereta. I received none of this money. I did not want the money. I only wanted my portion of the land. My relations participated in the payment, that is, Te Kuru, Rangiheuia’s child and Wereta and others.
It was Hakopa, myself and others who pointed out the boundary of this reserve to Mr. McLean, on the sale of the Awahou block.
Adjourned for one hour. Sat again at ½ past 2.
Parakaia Xd by G. W. Buller
I did not sign the Awahou deed. Deed of the cession of Te Awahou block produced by Mr. Buller, name of Parakaia pointed out and witness asked if that was his signature.
That is my name. Mr. Buller called attention to the fact that Parakaia’s name was signed to the deed of cession of the Awahou block. Parakaia denied having signed his name himself.
The location of my tribe at Paretao was after Haowhenua fight (in 1836).
Were the Ngati Wehiwehi and Patukohuru there before Haowhenua? They lived near it.
Was there not a settlement at Paretao occupied by Ngati Wehiwehi and Patukohuru before Haowhenua? NO
You say you lived there in 1836, how do you know it? Na taku tatau Maori.
Did you reside at Paretao 10 years? Yes, there and at Himatangi.
Were the houses put up on the land you now claim, or on the flax mill part? They were on the part I have marked W for Wereta.
How long was it after Haowhenua that you went to live on Paretao? Four years after (Would be in 1840).
How did you determine the boundary between you and Wereta’s? I made it of my own accord.
Did Wereta know of it, was he present? No.
Afterwards he remonstrated against it.
Who was Kuru? My wife’s father.
Deed of cession of Paretao handed in to court by Mr. Buller.
Was not Pitihira te Kuru a principal owner? Yes.
Was the fence you erected on your part or Wereta’s? On my piece.
Did you show Mr. McLean all the boundaries of your present claim? Yes they were pointed out from a point near the river.
Did you mark it in any way? Four poles were put in. (Pointed out on tracingýmarkedxxx).
This line passes this bush? Yes.
And it was marked? Yes, the standing trees were cut into.
You say Wereta first lived on this land in 1842? Yes.
Had he never lived on it before that? No.
Not on any part of it? No.
You received no share in the price of Awahou sale the £100? Yes.
And had no part of the payment of Paretao? No. My tamarikis had some.
Had your wife any? She had some given to her by her relations.
Did I not offer to let the matter of your claim to Paretao be arbitrated by three chiefs? Dr. Featherston proposed that, not you.
Did I not meet you at Manawatu and urge you to accept it? Yes, after the money was paid.
You say Wereta asked your consent, was that before or after the sale? Before.
What did Wereta say? He said he would sell for £1000. I said if he got £1000 I would not say anything.
Is Arapata Whioe a large owner there? Yes.
Is her share on Wereta’s side of the line or on yours? On Wereta’s side.
On which side is Roires? On ours (the south).
On which side is Pitihira’s? On ours.
On which side is Hakopa’s? There is no real division.
Was the portion you reserved for yourself or for the whole? When I made the division the purchase money was not paid.
Do you know this passage in the Awahou deed “the boundary shall be along the edge of the forest”? No.
Court adjourned till 10 am tomorrow.
