a—6,

6

These two blocks were formerly included in one piece. It was the Native Lands Court that divided it into two, and awarded one block, viz. Maunganui to Parore, and one, viz. Waipoua to me. This is the reason that there is trouble over that land : I and my tribes were not willing to have that land divided between us and Parore. It was this that caused me to be grieved and angered, and which made me say that I would put obstacles in the way of settling the Maunganui question. This I said in the presence of Parore and Te Tirarau. Parore did not answer to this. After I had made this statement, grief settled upon the Court. In the evening, my tribes assembled in a house to make arrangements for occupying Maunganui, so that when Parore saw us do so, he might come and try to turn us off. At this stage of the proceedings, Messrs. Kemp and Preece arrived. The word of Ngatiwhatua, Te Birihau, and Te Boroa tribes, that Maunganui should be taken actual possession of by us, and that arms should be taken up against Parore aud Te Tirarau, had been approved by the meeting. Mr. Kemp then spoke as follows : — " Listen tribes. I and Mr. Preece have just returned from interviewing Parore and Te Tirarau ; what they have had to say has been said, and this is why we come to you now, to ask you to make peace and be of one mind with regard to Maunganui and Waipoua—let it be one. The opinion that Maunganui should be divided did not emanate from the Court, it came from ourselves —viz., " that Tiopira and Parore should have Maunganui, and that Tiopira and Parore should have Waipoua." To this the meeting consented, but I said I would not consent unless Parore gave me a certain sum out of Waimata as a peace offering; not till this was done would I consent. Mr. Preece then said, " What you say is but fair. We will let Parore and party know what you say. Do you talk over the matter again after we are gone, so that on our return on the morrow you may have arrived at a decision in the matter." In the morning, the question was again discussed, and it was decided that Paora and I should represent our party. The next morning, Messrs. Kemp and Preece returned to us bringing with them a letter from Parore, consenting to certain terms, which letter was as follows: — " Kaihu, 2nd February, 1876. "To Tiopira and the chiefs of the other side.—l consent that you should have Maunganui, and that I have Waipoua. The piece outside Waipoua to be for you only; and I also consent to the £100 at Waimata. "Prom Paboee." I replied to Parore's letter as follows:— "To Parore and the chiefs of the other side.—l consent to your having Waipoua and my having Maunganui. "From Tiopiea." Next morning, Messrs Kemp and Preece arrived, and inquired of us whether w re had yet come to an unanimous decision; we both replied, "Yes, we have decided." They answered, " Then the Court will sit to-morrow to finish the investigation at Maunganui and Waipoua, so that the same may be settled satisfactorily." Next morning the Court sat, and at last a right decision was arrived at, in the Court awarding the Maunganui and Waipoua Blocks in favour of myself and Parore. After the conclusion of the above case, Waipoua No. 2, containing 12,000 acres, was adjudicated upon. It was only then that Mr. Preece became aware of the acreage of ihe block, and that it contained 12,000, but I and some other Europeans knew, Mr. Preece was under the impression that it only contained 6,000 acres. Another thing, Parore's letter and my letter was given to Mr. Kemp to read out, so that the whole of the tribes that were in the Court-house might hear Parore's word consenting to the £100 out of Waimata, but Mr. Kemp did not read it. I then knew that this was not done, in order that they might put a different construction upon the matter, and be able to say that the £100 which we heard about through Mr. Preece was from the sale of Maunganui. Next morning, when the Court was over, Paora and I went to the Court House to receive the money. Captain Symonds, Mr. Clendon, Mr. Kemp, Mr. Preece, and Mr. Nelson were there. Mr. Preece said to me, " Tiopira, what have you got to say ? " I replied, " I want eighteen pence per acre." Mr. Preece said, " The price cannot be raised above the first figure named." I replied, " That is according to the price ofl'ered by Mr. Brissenden, viz. one shilling and one penny an acre. You are a new man and should give a new price." Mr. Preece answered, " I will not consent to that." I said, " Well, then, I will not sign my name." Mr. Preece :" It was you yourselves who agreed to this price." I replied, " "Will Parore receive a higher rate than this per acre ? " Mr. Preece: " No, you are the only ones that have received money —viz., £600 for 12,000 acres of Waipoua. Parore has not received any of this." I replied, " That is another price altogether, and was surveyed at another time as a reserve for us, and was not included in this." We continued arguing the matter, wrhen Paora took up the question and said, " Would you not agree to exclude 2,000 acres; because the balance is small, and 2,000 will cover it ? " Mr. Preece consented, and Paul said to me, " You had better give your consent." I then said to Mr. Preece, "If the £100 for Waimata is forthcoming now, I will agree to sign my name." Mr. Preece said, " You will receive the money for Waimata now." Whereupon I agreed, and the money was divided as follows: —£2,000 to me and £2,000 to Parore ; that concluded the matter, and the deed conveying the Maunganui Block for the sum of £2,000 was read. Mr. Kemp then signed his name. Secondly, similar arrangements were made regarding Waipoua, for £2,000, and Mr. Kemp signed his name to that also, and the three documents were signed by Mr. Kemp, and I then signed them. At the time I signed them there was no other money but that £2,000 in these documents for Maunganui and Waipoua. We then went back, but in our absence Mr. Preece had let Parore have £2,500. I was troubled at the deceitful conduct of your European Land Purchase Agents. I have been derided by the Ngapuhi, and am overcome with shame. I said to Paora, after this, you must urge Mr. Preece and Mr. Kemp to divide the £500, as we have got into trouble through the Europeans, and the chiefs ou my