Saturday 22nd April 1876
Court opened at 10am. Present the same. Place the same.
Paremata
Tamihana Te Rauparaha and others.
The court having informed by Rawiri Te Wanui that these claims of Paremata had been in 1868 and no evidence of it being in possession of the court the claims were adjourned until a future sitting in order that the court in the meantime might obtain the evidence taken at that hearing. (Kapiti No.2 __ 1868 produced__ to notice of __ being advantage). Adjourned to future sitting.
Otaki Pa
(New claim) Hema Te Ao (20acres) Plan produced number 3364.
Hoani Taipua sworn. I belong to Ngati Raukawa and live at Otaki, I ask to have this land awarded to the whole tribe of Ngati Raukawa and all its hapu’s then we can arrange about the names to go in. This wasn’t a cultivation but the site of an old fighting pa therefore it belongs to the whole tribe. It may be also regarded as a burial place as many of the Ngati Raukawa are buried there. This land was let as a Ferry reserve under Rauparaha’s management the government paid him £20 per annum. The money was divivided among the tribe for about 12 or14 years after which Tamehana proposed investing this money in sheep for the benefit of the whole tribe he has never has produced the sheep nor does he pay the money to the tribe.
This is the reason the tribe had this piece of surveyed the government surveyed this piece as a tribal reserve. I went to Manawatu and told the Ngati Raukawa there that we wished to have it surveyed, they agreed I also went to Porotawhao I told the Ngati Huia the same thing they consented on my return I had a meeting of all the people here and around and they all agreed. I include Ngati Toa, Tamihana Rauparaha and others in this claim.
Objectors called.
Matini Te Whiwhi sworn. I belong to Ngati Raukawa and Ngati Toa and live at Otaki. The people who came here first before the Ngati Raukaw were the Ngati Hinetua, Ngati Wakaire and Ngati Tama they lived here and subdivided this land they were here about a year and a half. We fought with them and they went to Waikanae afterwards we had another fight and drove them away again subsequently some of the Ngati Raukawa came down with Ahukaramu and they returned with a message from Rauparaha for all the Ngati Raukawa to come here.
After they went away we built a Pa inland of this. The place nearer the beach was a sacred place because Pehi’s children had been eaten there. Ngati Raukawa went to Kapiti when they first came down they came ashore after 2 and half years with Ngati Toa. There was a meeting held and the Ngati Toa proposed that the Otaki river should be the boundary between them and the Ngati Raukawa. Afterwards the battle of Horowhenua took place about 1833.
Their allies from the North went away after this the Ngati Raukawa went to Taupo, Rauparaha was with them, Ngati Toa came from Kapiti when they heard of it in a canoe they went to Ohau caught Ngati Raukawa there and kept them in the district but they did not return to this Pa. Ngati Haua also went away to Waikanae they wanted to sell their rights they said they possessed up to the Otaki river. I heard of this when the surveyor came up. I went to Waikanae to object to this and the boundary was fixed between us at Kukutauraki. Much later on Tamihana, Matia, Hukiki, Pairaraku, Te Moroate and others wanted a public house put up on this land the majority of Raukawa objected. I was with the majority of the tribe an opponent to land selling I object to the Ngati Raukawa having anything to do with this land they have never had any cultivation there I have not lived there since Horowhenua. We were there long before I have never given it up Rakapa is living there.
Cross examine by Hoani Taipua. Rakapa’s house is not on this claim but her mana is over all this land down to the beach. It was the old ship who made the Otaki River the boundary between us and Ngati Raukawa it was before Horowhenua. You have succeeded in getting 27000 acres on the south side of Otaki in the same manner as you are attempting to do now. I have no claims on this side of Otaki my claims for Paremata was for nothing beyond my cultivation. I heard __ __ of this land was divided amongst the whole tribe. I got £10 Tamihana and have never had any more since Pawaroku and the others I mentioned were Ngati Raukawa. This was a Pa belonging to the whole tribe but the bones of my sisters are there. There are a lot of Raukawa buried there this place was occupied first by Ahukaramu at the request of Waitohu and subsequently others build houses there and it became a Pa.
The court adjourned until 2pm in order that a list of names may be submitted to the court for insertion in memorial. The claimants came into court and stated that they would have the names ready on Monday. Hoani Taipua appied to have the court adjourned as they wanted Saturday afternoon to get food together for Sunday. Mr Booth recommended the application which was granted. Court adjourned accordingly.
