Monday, March 23, 1868.

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

Monday, March 23, 1868.

Hare Hemi Taharape: I know the Himatangi block. I know the boundary fixed by Parakaia and Mr Williams [in 1848]. The continuation of that boundary was arranged some yearß afterwards by Parakaia, Te Kooro, Nepia, Tapa, Miratana, and others. They carried the boundary on to Otupere, on the sea coast. Ifc was defined by posts. A post was put in at Otupere. I was nofc there on the first occasion or on fche second. I have been there since fco renew the posts, This was in 1866. It was a division boundary between the Ngatikaunhata and Ngatiteihiihi on the norfch side, and Parakaia and party together with Nepia and party on the ofcher side. The southern boundary was fixed when the Awahoa block was sold.

I helped to fix it. Nepia, Parakaia, and all concerned in the adjoining land assisted Mr McLean to settle it. This was to be a fixed boundary between the Queen's land and the land for the Maories. I refer to the three hapus. Nepia and I defined the boundary between their land and ours, which is on the side towards the sea. Nepia, Parakaia, and Kuruho settled the old boundary on the western side. The present one was settled by Parakaia and myself. The old boundary was fixed in the Maori fashion. When the land . was surveyed we straightened the line. This r was the division between Parakaia and ourselveß. This line was fixed before Dr Featherston paid the purchase money. They did nofc inherit this land from their ancestors. They occupied the portions they took possession of. Parakaia and his party reserved somo of tbe land in the Awahoa block when it was sold to the Crown. They kept back Te Paretao. They occupied this land up to the date of the sale, when they left ifc. Parakaia and the three hapus did not agree to the Awahon sale. Money was offered by Ihakara to Wereta, who declined ifc. I don't know whether Ihakara has land in the Himatangi block or not. I have heard of his occupation of a portion of it. I heard long ago, when we left Ofcaki, fchafc Ihakara's hapa (Te Patukohuru) with the Ngafciteao and Nga« fcitauranga went up and occupied land aa far as Oroua. The Patukohuro afterwards came back and settled afc Te Awahou. According to Maori custom they are not entitled to claim land there now. They went up there originally to seek food. Cross-examined by Mr Fox : I live afc Ohau — a day's journey, on horseback, from Himatangi. I have seen the cultivations there. They are along the river bank. They do not extend far inland. I could not point out the old clearings. I could point oufc fche recent; cultivations. I could not point out the individual shares. I don't know where Ihakara's cultivations were. The boundary to which I have referred, on the western side of Himatangi, was laid off in the same year fchafc Dr Featherston paid the purchase money, We did not put in any boundary posts, nor mark any lines on that land up to 1840. Afc fchafc time each hapu claimed the land where their cultivations were. All the land at that time belonged to Ngatiraukawa. By Mr Williams : We acquired the land by conquest. By the Court: The southern boundary was fixed as a division between the land to be sold and tho land to be held back. I don't know whether there was any boundary previous to that dato. The Court then adjourned for one hour. On resuming, The agent for the claimants called Pitihira Te Kuru, who gave further evidence as to the boundaries of the Himatangi block. Nirai Taraotea was also examined on the same points ; aftor which the Courb adjourned till 10 a.m. on the following day.