Minutes of a meeting held at Takapuwahia on the 3rd January 1862 before Donald McLean Esquire and William Fitzherbert Esquire for the purpose of inquiring into the truth of a charge brought against William Nicholas Searancke Esquire District Commissioner by Wiremu Parata and others at a meeting held at Porirua on the 26th September 1861 in the presence of his honor the Superintendent of Wellington and William Fitzherbert Esquire. Wiremu Parata saith - when the European first took possession of the land he was told by the natives that a portion of the land occupied by him belonged to them, he replied, no, it is mine, we denied it, he said, no, it is mine, I paid the Government for it the Government sold it to me, he persisted, we thought he was persisting justly as the Europeans had the maps of the land, we then gave up saying anything about it. After this when Mr. Searancke came here Rawiri Kingi Peraka said to him, there is a European in occupation of a portion of our land. Mr. Searancke said leave him, let him build his houses, the matter will be enquired into hereafter and if he has done wrong it will be rectified, the talk about the land ceased, till a new surveyor came to survey the land he saw that the European was occupying a portion of our land and told us so. The surveyor was Anderson, when the Surveyor told us the boundary was wrong we renewed our talk to Stevens and then went to Mr. Wardell about it, he came out to see into the matter when the European acknowledged that he was on our ground and said that the wrong was with the Government in giving him that land to occupy. Mr. Wardell on hearing the case decided that he was to give up the land on the 31st of December 1861. In answer to questions by Messrs. McLean and Fitzherbert Wiremu Parata further saith I recollect a meeting at Mr. Bromleys when the Superintendent and Mr. Fitzherbert were present the following persons were also present. Pumipi Pikiwera, Eparaima Puihi. Te Manihera Poutuki Hopa Te Whata. Hanita Tangaiawha Tangaiawha Te oti a wahu Pita a Wahu Mokena Mokoera, Te Rou, Hamapiri Ruatahu Teo - Wahu Himiona Pirangi and myself, were also present only Eparaima, Hanita and myself are now present they were all adult with the exception of Eparaima Hiko retained the land in question formerly for the Wahu's The Wahu's worked with us for money on the land for Stevens, why we did not speak to the Government in the first instance was that both Bowler and Stevens said the land belonged to Stevens our reason for working for Stevens for cash on the land which we knew to be ours was that some other natives would have done it if we had not. When we were working for Stevens we had no impression that the houses and land would be returned to us. We did not work with a desire to obtain the man's money and then get possession of the land, when he persisted that the land was his we went to work. I did not hear Mr. Searancke say a word myself Hanita and others said to me at first that Mr. Searancke had said ''leave him (Stevens) to build his good houses and then remove him subsequently the version that I have heard was to the effect of what I have stated today. I was the spokesman at the meeting with the Superintendent and Mr. Fitzherbert and expressed the sentiments of the Natives above named. In answer to a question by W. N. Searancke Esqre Wiremu Parata further saith. It was some time, it might have been a year after Mr. Searancke said what I have above stated before the Surveyor came to lay off the ground. Ebenezer Baker saith, I was the Interpreter when the meeting above referred to took place I remember that Wi Parata stated that Mr. Searancke said ''never mind let him (meaning Stevens) build the good houses and garden and enclosures and presently you will get all these for nothing''. I do not remember his having used these words for he ought to know the boundaries. In answer to questions by W. N. Searancke Esqre, Anaru te Hoakai saith. I was present when Mr. Searancke spoke to Rawiri on the occasion referred to I heard Mr. Searancke say it is very well that he should occupy the land (meaning Stevens) there is a European who can enquire into and settle it. Ebenezer Baker, Interpreter.