NATIVE LANDS PURCHASE COMMISSION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIII, Issue 5946, 17 March 1880, Page 5

NATIVE LANDS PURCHASE COMMISSION.

; TBT TBIiKGBABH.] : fPBOM OUB OWN COHEEBPONDBNT.J aEABOA, Mabch 16 The Court resumed proceedings at 11 o’clock. ■ Honi Paratene te Manuiarangi,: of the Hapu Ngatehitekura, deposed: X was living at Kaiapoi at the time of Mr .Hamilton’s visit. Myself and about 15 other Natives accompanied Mr Hamilton to Akaroa. I received the money.- Some of them urged the Natives to sell the land in consequence of a letter thej received from Mr M'Lean; Mr Hamilton toieatened he would take, the money to the Murihiku people. I signed toe deed, but at toe same time objected, and Mr Hamilton said I ! had better sign as a witness. I see now my name in, the body of the deed; 1 might have had a claim to the land in old times, * but I reoeired no. money except in payment of serviceai rendered to Mr Hamilton.'"' ' , Henare Teparo, of the-Hapu Ngitimakou. said: I was present at Mr Hamilton’s, and know that a large number of those interested Were present; ' Some *vere Jtataaf to paraßoi' and others went South. No- money :»^^y^'« , Wk' , ofi.-'4imd-.ro^eiPTeAiop absentees, but I dp not know whether- Mr Hamilton Agreed. I got » share of tho

hadaclaimto! the land, : r ‘ Henare Watene said.i .-I was here and saw: Governor Brown. It| was befora .Me Hamilton’s visit thab Governor Brown wiihed the l Natives-to sell the land,, but they did not agreed hs the Natives wanted 'a sum of money. >i Some of the Najtives got angry,; end Governor . Brown threatened that soldiers would be senc if they nob part with thA>land.;) i. ■ Taino Earangahape; of the - hapu. Ngapubi, 'Confirmed 1 the!previous witness’ statement respecting Governor Brown’s.visit, and how the negotiations Fell through, and- also spofee of j Governor Brown' threatening that if all the Maoris would not agree to let him have the laud, soldiers would be sent to take possession. of it;' f"i!i uU>‘ V i '

Teoti Bapatini George - Robinson ' said he wished to ; make ; a statement. He > was. a • Ngatirakeha on his mother’s side, and claimed through her l . ; . She was <hera at the time of the sue, but bad nothing to do with thej sale, nor bad she or any of her half-caste children received any money or iand.;Binoo he had arrived . at maturity he had watdared from one reserve to- another living on his friends, and ooedsionally iworking! with: Europeans; l Those who were taken into captivity iand returned before the land was' sold have had their fights recognised; He wa« at -Dunedin whep the Native Land Court Bat, and when he returned here, >in answer to a question os to why . his name • was not on the list of olaimante, he was told that he had been' forgotten, although. they-acknowledged l that his mother Had. a good claim. A large, number, of Natives who. had claims on qtfae land' here were livibg on their friends, at Murihiku. ; Some of'them have applied tb - the Natives on tho reieryea here for a shore of the land, but have been told that if the land were divided among; all the claimants, there would not be four | acres each, c Thb-witnessideioribed these Natives as being like, dogs without masters. * William'- James Washington Hamilton, in ans to ’Mr Comtnissioner Smith, said .he should never; for a moment think of using a threat to the Natives, as he considered the land was theirs to dispose of at they thought proper. Ho had ■no 1 difference : with ;them. He willingly granted l ah additional reierve of 400 acre's at Wairevra. The deed to them. • He recognised the additionaljriause in the deed grautibg the additional reserve., ' The sitting was then adjourried till 11a.m. to-morrbw. - ■■■-- ■ 1 ;