NATIVE LAND PURCHASES COMMISSION AT KAIAPOI.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 957, 14 May 1879, Page 2

NATIVE LAND PURCHASES COMMISSION AT KAIAPOI.

(per press association.) Cheistchuhch, May 13. The Royal Commissioners resumed their sittings at Kaiapoi this morning, the witnesses examined were Tare Wetere (Charles Wesley), Hone Topi Patuki and Wiremu Naihari. Their evidence was mainly corroborative of what has been said by former witnesses with regard to the boundaries of the block, and the promises made by Messrs. Kemp and Mantell as to a further large payment in addition to the L2OOO, the establishment of schools and hospitals, and the granting of further reserves, the restoration of «el woirs' and other fisheries, landing places, cultivations, burial places, and "Mahinga Kai," two words upon which the Maoris attach very great importance, as according to them Mahinga Kai embraces all the land from which they obtained the natural products of the soil, such as cabbage tree root, fern root, woodhens, forest berries, etc. It is remarkable how closely the story of one witness resembles that of another in the main particulars. Their evidence is very interesting, as it refers to a period when the plains of Canterbury were almost unknown, except to the Maoris, and when the verbatim shorthand notes come to be published, the volume will 110 doubt evoke a considerable amount of curiosity. The Commissioners will sit again to-morrow, and it is probable that the enquiry as to the Ngaitahu purchase will terminate 011 Thursday. It will then become a question whether the Commissioners will at once proceed with the investigations as to the purchase of Banks Peninsula, the Otago block, and the Murihiku purchase in Southland, or postpone going further for a month or two.