THE MANAWATU PURCHASE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2668, 16 April 1868, Page 4

THE MANAWATU PURCHASE.

*. NATIVE LANDS COURT.— OTAKI. EXAMINATION OF WITNESSES FOR THE CROWN. (from our special correspondent.) Saturday, April 11, 18G8. The Court opened at 10 a.m. Mr Williams, the iigent for the native claimants, sought the indulgence of the Court while ho called its attention to the report of the Independent, in which it was stated that the Court reprimanded him for his " vulgar and personal attacks" on the counsel for the Crown. He wished to ask the Court whether it had done so ? The President of the Court said he could not recollect having used those words. Mr Williams thanked the Court and sat down. Mr Fox rose and said ho had read the report in the Independent,, and he was pretty sure it did not say that tho Court had used such words ; it was he (Mr Fox) who had used the words " vulgar and personal" when he complained to the Court and requested its protection against tho attacks of Mr Williams, and this, he believed, was what the Independent said. The Court had told Mr Williams he must learn to control his temper and restrain himself — that such conduct was quito out of place in Court. Whether this was a reprimand or not, the readers of the Independent might judge for themselves ; but he was bound to say that the report of the Independent as to the words used by him, was perfectly correct. The President said that tho remarks of the Court had reference to Mr Williams' display of temper; and that it further expressed its regret Unit irritating questions had been put to witnesses on both sides. Mr Williams bowed to the Court, and said he was satisfied. Tho counsel for the Crown called Ihakara Tukumaru : I belong to the Patukohuru hapu of tho Ngatiraukawa tribe, and live at Munawatu. I remember the first coining of the Ngitiraukawa into this district. I know the cause of it. [The witness then described tho events at Maungatautiri which preceded the migration.] After being beaten by the A T gatiinaru, the Ngatiraukawa, under To Whutanui and other chiefs, came down to Kapiti. One party camo through the Wangachu Gorge. They had no fighting with the Ngatiapa as they came through, but they captured a few Ngaliapa stragglers. I have heard from the lips of To Matenga Te Matia, tho great Ngatiraukawa chief, that at the timo of their coming to Kapiti they were like doge, and were without " tikangn" or position of any kind. The reason for these words of Te Matenga was that tho Ngatiraukawa went over to Kapiti to collecl food, and the Ngatitoa finding them there, chased them down the cliffs. I have heard the wuiata (song) descriptive of their dejected state. [Witness recited the song which described their position as being that of "submissive dogs" waiting to bo called back by the chiefs of Waikato. The song was invented by Matenga To Matia at a period long subsequent to the evonts to which it refors, awd partakes of tho

character of nn historical poem.] I was in tho Eotoatava affair at Hawke's Bay, and after being driven from that pa, our heke came down through tho Manawatu Gorge, We came down before tho 'Ngaliteupokom heke. I did not, at the j;*i-iod of my arrival, hear the Ngatiraukawa chiefs claim any mana over the land. After the battle of Haowhenua, Nepia and his party went to Eangitikei, and wo went to Manawatu. The Patukohuru, Ngatitakihiku, Ngatirakau, Ngatituranga, and Ngatiteao wero the hapus that went to Manawatu. Ngatipavewahawaha, Ngatikahoro, Ngatiraaiotaki, went on to Eangitikei. Tho Ngatikanwhata and Ngatiwehiwehi, under Te Whata and To Whetu weufc to Oroua. Our hapu went to Puketotara on tho Manawatu Eivcr. The Eangitane were living a little way above Puketotara. To Whetu was living with thorn. > Some of the Ngatiapa wero living afc that time at Oroua. We cultivated at Himatangi for two or three years. Wo then removed to To Maire, on the south bank of tho river. The other hapus settled at various places on both sides of tho river — at Kirikiri, Tupuaerau, Papakiri, Opiki, and Ahimate. Thoy built their houses at Ahimate, to bo out of the reach of the floods. Some years afterwards, all these hapus moved down to To A wahou. I recollect Parakain cultivating up thcro with us. When Archdeacon J Hadfield first came here, Parakaia left us and came down here. Since that time ho has never cultivated there, but ho has frequently gone up to Te Awahou and to Opiki to sco us. I know Arapata Te Whioi, of tho Ngatituranga. Ho lived at Himatangi, and cultivated there. He still lives there. Ho is a great chief in Parakaia's hapu, and has a large claim afc Himatangi. [The counsel for tho Crown explained to the Court that Arapata Te Whioi had signed the deed of cession]. Tho following are the names of the people of my hapu who were cultivating afc Himatangi, and who have claims there — Ihakara Tukumaru, Kereopa Tukumaru, Keremeneta Puritia, Poutu, Aroua, Hohepa Te Hana, Niwa, Ngawhare, Hckeratua, Taimona Paropavo, Mivatana Macro, Euanui Tukumaru, Ngahupa, Hamaretc Te Patukohuru, Eenata Eoheroho, and Te Aokanui. Horomona Toremi, of the Ngatikohuru, has a derivative claim there, through his relations, but he never cultivated at Himatangi. Before the time of tho treaty, I put in the first post at Whilirea. I buried my relation, Te Kohcto, thcro. After the date of tho treaty, tho Ngafciwchiwehi took up my post. It was put in again by Parateno and Parakaia. After that, Mr Williams extended tho boundary to tho Kahikatea tree [in 1848]. This was because of a local dispute between different hapus of the Ngatiraukawa about the occupation of tho river bank. The boundary was extended inland at tho time of the Awahou sale. It was fixed by Nepia, Pavalene, Kui'uho, Tapa, and the other chiefs. It was carried right across from Whitirea to the sea. The land I wanted to sell extended from Manawatu to Eangitikei, and right up to tho Manawatu gorge. The line I have mentioned was laid down in order to prevent any land selling. This line ■was afterwards abandoned, and the boundary fixed at Omarupapako — thence to Pakingahau on one side, and the sea on the other. I never heard of any western boundary. The object of tho firstnamed boundary was to enable Nepia Taratoa and Parateno to hold on to the land on one sido, and tho Ngatikauwhata to hold on to tho land on the other side. When tho Awahou sale was agreed to, the boundary line was moved. I don't know what became of tho old boundary. Nepia afterwards wanted some of the land which the Ngatikauwhata had been told to hold back from salo, and they refused to give him any. When Nepia stood up at the Awahou meeting and stretched out his arms, I did not hear him say anything about other boundaries behind his back. What ho said was this : " The land in front of me is all you (Ihakara) have any concern with. The land behind my back is for tho Ngatiraukawa, Ngatiapa, Eangitane, and Muaupoko, who are sitting at my feet." I was alone iv the sale of the Awahou block. I did not hear a word said about excluding the Ngatiapa, Eangitane, and Munupoko from the land held back from salo. I understood that the land behind Nepia's back [i.e., north of the Awahou block] was to be their joint possession. I was confirmed in this view by scoing Nepia take Eangitane and Ngatiapa by tho hand and lead them back. When I saw Nepia do this I concluded that I also might get. a sharo on the other side of the boundary which Nepia had fixed. Hiraataugi is a local name. We don't know all tho land shown on tho plan as Himatangi. Tho following hapus of Ngatiraukawa havo established claims in tho Ean-gitikei-Manawatu block by residence : — The Ngatipavewahawaha, with their chiefs Nepia Taratoa, Apevahama Te Huruhuru, and Have Eongovongo. They have all signed tho doDfl of cossion. Tho Ngatikahoro, with their chiefs Horomona Tornmi and To Kereama. With tho oxcoption of Miratana and Pumipi they havo all signed the deed. The Ngutimaniapoto, with their chief Wiveniu Pukapuka. Wi Pukapuka and others havo signed ; somo who aro living at Kakaviki have not signed. Tho Patukohuru, of whom I am tho chief. We havo all signed. Tho Ngatipikiahu, with their chief Noa Te Euahihi. Somo of them have signed ; somo have not. Noa To Eauhihi has signed. Tho Ngatiwehiwehi, with their chief Paora Pohotir.aha. The chiefs Paora, Tamehana Wharehakaka, and Wateno havo signed. Tho other hapu is the Parengaua, with their chief Eei To Paohua. To Kercmihana is tko only member of this hapu, so far as I am aware, who has not signed. There avo many hapus of Ngatiraukawa who havo novov resided on tho Rangitikei-Manawatu block. The Ngatitnranga, Ngatiteao, and Ngativakau also resided on tho Manawatu sido of tho block. I cannot enumerate the hapus of Ngatiraukawa who aro not living in tho Eangifcikei-Manawatu district. The hapus whom I have mentioned as living on tho block avo the only sections of Ngativaukawa who wove entitled to take part in the salo of that land. Arapata Whioi is tho chief of Ngatituvanga. Ho has signed tho deed, but the others have not. To Enofcea is fcho chief of Ngufcivakau. Pavakaia and Pitihira aro tho chiefs of Ngatiteao. These hapus havo not signed. The Court then adjourned for one hour. On resuming, Ihakara Tukumaru was recalled for cross-examination by Mr Williams :— I don't know how long it was aftev Te Whatanui's heke that wo came down. It was a long time, however. I camo clown with tho party from Hawko's Bay under Te Momo. We wove tho survivors from Tc Eotoatara. Some enme this way, others fled to Taupo. Wo found a number of Ngativaukawa here, and other parties arrived, from time to lime, after us. .1 remember the Haowhenua fin-ht. After peace was made, the Ngatirauknwi left their pa. When we fivsfc arrived, tho Ngatitama, under To Puohu, were living afcKulmfanake. The land south of Manawatu belongs to Ngatiraukawii. It formerly belonged to Eangitano and Muaupoko— perhaps to Ngatiapa also. If; is owned by certain hapus only of Ngatiraukawa. My hapu huvo land fchevo. I know our boundaries. They havo been defined and could now be fixed by survey. [The witness was then oxamined specifically about tho intertribal bounddaries on the south sido of Manawatu.] I was present at tho meeting afc To Awahou when the North Rungifcikei block was sold. I took part in the proceedings. [Witness thon gave an account of that meeting- On that occasion Iho Ngatiraukawa opposed the sale of any land on the south side of Eangitikei. Kingi Hovi To Hanca asked the Ngatiraukawa whether they were holding back this land for themselves and tho Ngatiapa jointly. Tho Ngatimukawa replied " yes." The question was repotted and the aamo answer givon. Witness did not hear ono dissontionfc voice] Pavakaia was not afc that meeting, bufc the Ngatiraukawa were thoro. Tho Ngatiapa had no claim to tho Awahou block at the time that I sold it. [Witness then gavo an account of fcho circumstances attending that sale.] Tho Eangifcano and Ngafcinpa wore allowed to tako part in tho leases. If Nepia had taken possession of tho land for himself, I should have had no claim on the other side of the Awahou boundary. I afterwards took part in tho leases. Nepia put in a boundary post, "Te Pouatatua," at To Jtakohou. Tho Ngatiapa pulled

it up and threw it away. Nepia and Ngatiapa entered into joint leases. Nepia afterwards destroyed some Ngatiapa potato seed at Kukariki. This led to great runanga. Karaitiana Takamoana and Rio investigated the matter. Their decision was that Ngatiraukawa ought to go back to Maungafcautari and leave the land to Ngatiapa. The Ngatiraukawa proposed a division of the block between themselrcs, fcho Ngatiapa and tho Eangitane. Tho Eangitano accepted this proposal, but tho Ngatiapa rejected it. Then there was a great meeting afc Puketotara and tho Eangitane recommonded fighting. [Witness described subsequent events.] Then there wa9 a meeting of the Ngatiraukawa. Tho tribe appointed me to conduct their business. I suggested to the Ngatiraukawa chiefs that they should mark off their hapu boundaries, and mark off tho land for tho Ngatiapa and for the Eangitano. They would not consent. We had another meeting, and I repeated my proposal to the men who styled themselves the " chiefs of tho land." They again refused. They told me I might take the beach where the surf breaks. In the anger of my heart I handed tho land over to the pakeha. If they had acted on my proposal to divide the land into shaves, my right to dispose of it would have been at an end. [Letter from Ihakara to Eota Te Tahiwi put in and read]. No reserve- has yet been promised mo at Tawhirihoe. I was present at the Maraniaihoea meeting after the sale of the North Eangitikei block. [Witness then gave an account of that meeting.] It was before the Kuititanga [1839], that the Patukohuru wero cultivating at Himatungi. We and the other three hapus afterwards moved a little further down the river. The other hapus came to Kirikiri and Opiki, and wo came on to To Maire. They afterwards came down further, to Kutikutirau. After this, we all cunio down together ■to Te Awahou. The Ngatiapa ceased to cultivate at Himatangi when wo went up after Haowhenua. I don't know about their coming there to catch eels, but I heard that they had burnt Te Baotea's houses. Otaki is Parakia's fixed home. Ho has frequently gone up there since the treaty to see us but not to cultivate. I don't know about tho mana of tho Ngatiapa at tho time that tho slaves were caught. Xho Ngatiraukawa share of the Eangitikei- Manawatu purchase money was handed over to me at Pavewanui, [Tho witness then gave tho boundaries of the ceded block.] I did not interfere when Mr Williams fixed the Whitirea boundary, because Paratcne was there to represent me — also Parakaia and the rest of the party. By tho Court : The natives whom I have named as co-claimants with me at Himatangi are still alive Some of them are representatives of men who aro dead. Tho Court roso at 5 p.m.