Saturday, March 21, 1868.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2653, 26 March 1868, Page 5

Saturday, March 21, 1868.

Parakaia not being in attendance, tlie agent called Amiria Taraotca (Parateno's widow) : I know the boundaries of fcho Himatangi block. The Queen's boundary, from Pakingahau to Omarupapako is tho boundary on one side. That boundary was fixed before the sale of the Awahou block. It was fixed by all fche Ngatiraukawa chiefs. Ifc was marked by posts. Ifc was a boundaiy for those threo hapus—Ngatifceao, Ngatirakau and Ngatituranga. No other hapus had any share in this land. Tho boundary to the north was fixed by the Ngatiraukawa chiefs. Thero was a dispute between the Ngatikauwhata and Ngatiteihuhi. Whitirea, on the Manawatu river, was fche boundaiy fixed by the Eev. Mr Williams. There was a post put in there afc that time. Ifc still forms a boundary post. We had land on the other side of Whitirea previous fco i that time. Our claim was disputed by the other hapus. Mr Williams settled the dispute. The inland boundary was fixed by Henere, Paratene. Parakaia and Te Kooro. The boundary was marked by posts. I did nofc see this done. The western boundary starts from tho Queen's land and runs on to Motuiti, and thence to a point near Paepae, where it meets the other boundary. Paepae is fche name of a lagoon where eels are caught, and of tho land adjoining. I have been along one parfc of the boundary—from the Queen's land to Motuiti, The Manawatu river is the ofcher boundary. Our three hapus became possessed of that land before Archdeacon Hadfield came here. That land does nofc belong to Ihakara Tukumaru. I know his hapu —we are related. Wo took possession together. Ihakara's hapu lived on that land two years. Wo went there together and cultivated the ground. Our houses wero on our cultivations. We lived first at Puketotara, and then removed further down the river, to a place on tho other side where our cultivations wero. Our houses and our settlement; were afc Puketotara. Our cultivations were on the other side of the river. After this, Ihakara's hapu moved down to Te Awahou. They did not return to Himatangi. Those who owned this land with Parakaia wore—Paora Taraotea (whose namo is also Ngatuna), To Mote Tokuru, Eangiheuwea. These were the old men. The two last named ones aro dead. Paora Taraotea is still living ; also Parakaia Te Pouepa, Pitihora To Kuru, Te Eoera Eangiheuwea, To Eoiri, Eangiheuwea, Nirai Taraotea, Te Hemara Te Mataaho, Nikora To Utahi, Pirika TePuhi, Ihaka To Mataaho, Wi To Mataaho. I am another— Amiria Taraotea. Thero are others whom I represent—Mirika (a woman) and Kihiringi Taraotea, my brother. There is another woman — Horiana. Mirika is Parakaia's wifo. Another man is Ihaka Ngamura. Taharuku is another. Also, Arapota Te Kaupai, Kipa Te Whitu, and Arapata Whioi. Kireone is another. Those 1 have enumerated are all adults. Thero are somo old men, and somo old women like myself. I havo omitted tho names of those who shared in tho purchase money—Paratene, Onepukupuku, and others. There are some young men who have taken money. Hamuera Kaikoiwi has taken money. He is an adult. The young men whose names I have forgotten belong to other hapus. Parakene Onepukupuku camo to Himatangi for the first time last year. He camo from Maungatautari [Witness then gave evidence respecting moneys receivod by the " young men" out of tho payment for the Eangitikei-Manawatu block], Paratene left his land to me. Parateno was related to our hapu—fche Ngatirakau—and to fche Patukohuru. Parateno held the land jointly with his hapu. Our threo hapus did not agree to the sale of the land to Dr. Featherston. Himatangi belongs solely to our three hapus. Nono of the other hapus have any claims there. Cross-examined by Mr Fox: Taraotea lives near the river bank, on the Himatangi block. To Eoera, Pirika, and Te Hemara live there. Parakaia's principal abode is Ofcaki. He sometimes lives at Himatangi.' His wife lives at Otaki. Arapata To Whioi is a great chief. He owns the Himatangi block conjointly with us. He may have signed the deed. Our settlements avo all on the river bank.

By Mr Williams : We had our plantations on tho banks of tho river. We had clearings inland.

By Mr Fox : Our clearings were at Himatangi. This is tho name of a bush near the back boundary of the block. I know the Kahikotea tree which Mr Williams fixed as a boundary. The Kahikotea stands near those clearings. Ihakara worked thero for two years. We worked there with Ihakara's aunt till thoy (fcho Patukohuru) went away. All my cultivations were near tho Manawatu rivor. I was accustomed to catch eels near the western boundary of tho block. By tho Court : The dispute between our hapus and the Ngatikauwhata Was settled by fixing tho boundary at Whitirea. Tho boundary which was agreed to extended from Whitirea to the Kahikotea tree. Posts wero set up inland on three separate occasions. It was dono to mark the boundary between us and Ngatikauwhata. Papakiri is our permanent place of abode. It is situated on the north bank of the Manawatu river, and lies between Pakingnhau and Whitirea.

Parakaia To Pouepa recalled : Ihakara's aunt was located with us at Himatangi in 1834. There wero other members of the Patukohuru hapu. The Patukohuru were afc that time occupying the land jointly with us. I mean a branch of tho Patukohuru, named Ngatitiikihiko. There were Mateawa peoplo with us. The four hapus settled themselves at Puketotara in 1834. Their cultivations were afc Te Kirikiri. Aftor two years the Patukohuru left. They became possessed of land at To Awahou, near tho mouth of tho river. Their possession of this land dated from 1830. Thoy subsequently joined our party in taking possession of Himatangi. When the Patukohuru removed to Te Awahou they invited us to go with them and assist in making clearings. Wo went to Oroua to. look for potatoes. We obtained some from tho Ngatikauwhata and Ngatiapa, and planted them afc Puketotara. We accompanied the Patukohuru to To Awahou, and lived there together. All throe hapus came down to Te Awahou. We remained there till the time of the Ngatiawa fighfc, known as " Kuitifcanga." We went backwards and forwards between To Awahou and Himatangi for three years. The Patukohuru worked at Puketotara for one year only. We never put forward any claim to that land, excepfe at Te Paretao. [Witness then gave names of

men of Ngatituranga, Ngatirakau, and Ngatiteao, who have claims in the Himatangi block.] A large number of the Ngatiteas have no claim to this land. I. am doubtful about Aperahama Te Euru [whose name appears in fche application before the Court.]

Cross-examined by Mr Fox: Aperahama Te Huruhuru did not ask me to put in a claim for him. I put his name in on my own responsibility. I left out Arapata Te Whioi's name in my list of claimants, because I was doubtful whether he had signed the deed. [Mr Fox called the attention of the Court to this very important; fact, fchat Parakaia, by his own showing, had on fche one hand preferred a claim for Aperahama Te Euru a non-claimant without his knowledge or consent, while on the other hand he had, by his own admission, omitted an acknowledged owner, Arapata Te Whioi, because he had doubts about his having signed the deed.] It is true thafc I am now claiming from the Government some 300 acres at Paretao in the Awahou block. I claim tbat land because of my former residence there. By Mr Williams: I did nofc give up possession of Paretao. Wereta retained hold of ifc. Wereta is now living afc Himatangi. By Mr Fox: That land has been sold to the Crown by Wereta. He sold it without my knowledge. The Court adjourned till Monday at 10 a.m.