G.-2a

14

Maungakawa, and some lived at Maungatautari; after that they fought with us. Haowhenua had been built for a fighting pa before the battle, when Waharoa told them not to fetch the dead to him. Haowhenua was built against Ngatiraukawa. They had two pas ; the other was Ngatokoi; it lay about three miles south of Haowhenua. Taumatawiwi lies below Pukekura. lam related to Ngatikauwhata, and lam not. I claimed it (Pukekura) before the Court of 1868, as did Ngatihaua and Raihi. Hakiriwhi and I placed the names on the Crown grant of Pukekura. Reone te Kui (examined by Major Mair), sworn : I heard part of Rihia's evidence. I am a Ngatihaua. I know Pukekura. My first knowledge of it was when I went there for fear of Ngapuhi. We left all this land here and went to Pukekura. Ngatikauwhata had left Pukekura before this ; why, Ido not know —not because I drove them off. Another section of Ngatikauwhata lived at Pukekura, but not that section to which Te Raihi and his friends belong. They joined with Ngatihaua, who went there against a common enemy We stayed there some time, and then, with Ngatikauwhata, retired to Maungakawa. I mean those Ngatikauwhata who remained behind under their chief Te Wiwini. Marutuahu came to Waikato from fear of Ngapuhi. They commenced to provoke us, and occupied Horotiu. Then they went to Maungatautari to occupy it because they had defeated Ngatiraukawa — not this Ngatiraukawa, but another—those to the south. When Haowhenua was completed by Marutuahu, they built other pas. One was Mapiharau (near Cambridge here) They occupied this land. Ngatokoi was another pa. Another was at Maungakawa, called Kaipaka. Kaipaka was about half-a---mile from our pa Kaweheitiki. These four pas took the whole of the land about here, and it became the property of Marutuahu. Rihia's statement that we were conquered and lost our land, and afterwards retook possession of it, is correct. Maungatautari had been taken by Marutuahu from Ngatiraukawa ;we added it to our first possessions. Pukekura was included in the reconquest. At the time of Marutuahu's conquests there were no Ngatikauwhata living at Pukekura. Some of them were living there when we retook it. After our conquest Ngatikauwhata had possession of Pukekura. When we were fighting with Ngatimaru, Ngatikauwhata could not live at Pukekura lest they should be killed. They joined with us. This Ngatikauwhata is Raihi's party What Ngatikauwhata says of Wharepakaru's and Murupara's statements respecting Te Wiwini —respecting the leaving of the land to Te Wiwini and Te Waharoa—was heard nothing of until after the conquest by us. That was the time I heard that they had loft the land peaceably Ngatikauwhata was a distinct tribe from Ngatiraukawa, and equal with them. We were children when Te Wharepakaru spoke to Wiwini, and would not know After the retaking of the land from Marutuahu we were grown up and heard it. I believe they had been spoken when Ngatikauwhata left for Kapiti. I arrive at this conclusion because, after we had retaken Maungatautari and Pukekura from Marutuahu, we were informed that Ngatikauwhata had left peaceably Ngatikauwhata who remained would have the privilege of inviting their friends back. We, as Waikato, had nothing to do with that. Kauwhata being gone, were conquered the land. Those who went away peaceably would be privileged to return, because the land was reposed in trust of some of the mutual friends (Ngatikauwhata) who remained. The battles would have nothing to do with the interest of those who left peaceably I claim by conquest, but that claim was defeated by the statement of the rights of Ngatikauwhata. The Ngatihaua would not have been able to keep Ngatikauwhata away The title of Ngatikauwhata (of Kapiti) remained unimpaired by whatever happened. lam a Ngatihaua, and one of the principal men amongst them. I have a relationship with Ngatikauwhata, but so far off that lam disposed to question whether there is an} r On the division of the land, Ngatihaua did not interfere with the interest of Ngatikauwhata on Pukekura. By Mr. McDonald : The land has been sold by persons who made little of Wi Tamihana's words. It would not be right for those people to trample on the words of Wi Tamihana; that is why I say they are crazy My statement of Marutuahu coming here is correct. There was not a tribe who did not fear Ngapuhi then. After the residence of Marutuahu they began to affront us. Their fighting with Ngatiraukawa was before the time of offering indignity to us. I cannot explain the boundary between the claims of Ngatiraukawa and Ngatikauwhata. Ngatihaua land was on this (north) side the Waikato River. Pirihi Tomonui (examined by Major Mair) : I am a grantee in Pukekura. I am a Ngatihaua. Ngatihaua is a general name including many hapus. I know all about Pukekura. By the Court: Ngatihaua took possession of all the land round Maungatautari and Pukekura after Taumatawiwi. Ngatihaua occupied these lands. The conquest enabled us to occupy the land in common. I was young at Taumatawiwi. I took no part in it. My father did. He was killed and buried at Kariaruhe, a place adjacent to the battle, Ngatihaua having taken permanent possession of Pukekura. When Wi Tamihana got a ship to fetch back Ngatikauwhata was the first I heard of that name Kauwhata. That is the only word I heard of Ngatikauwhata. Of the Ngatikauwhatas who remained here Murupara was the chief man. Pukekura belonged to the Ngatikauwhatas who remained behind. Wiwini would have the discretion of restoring the claim of those who left and went to Kapiti. Ngatihaua could not have interfered with the return of those emigrants. The word of Waharoa would be the occasion of the return of Ngatikauwhata. Had Wi Tamihana not been a Ngatikauwhata they could not have come back. Had all the Ngaiikauwhata here been killed, then Ngatikauwhata of Kapiti could not have come back. Examined by Major Mair Kariaruhe is in Pukekura. My father died there, wounded by Ngatimaru. He died, but we Ngatihaua had taken the land, all of it. Pukekura belongs to Ngatikauwhata, who remained upon it. Examined by Mr. McDonald: Pukekura is the land of Ngatihaua, although only ten names appear as grantees. All Ngatihaua were present at the Court in 1868. Only the Hauhaus w-ere absent. They did not participate because of their absence. Had they come they would have participated. The notices of that Court had been circulated. If Ngatikauwhata had come from Kapiti to that Court we could not have refused their claim on account of the word of Tamihana. ] would ha-e objected but for that. Ngatimaru built apa called Haowhenua, it was near Pukekura, I was no Dresent at the Court of Te Aroha. I was at Hamilton. I did hear of it, but did not see it. By the Court: I think Grey was the Governor when Tamihana got the vessel to go for Kauwhata.