G—2a

16

kawa. Ngatiraukawa commenced there. I do not know the boundary of these last-named (Ngatiraukawa) on the other side. 1 did not know until I went there that Ngatikauwhata lived at and owned Banyiaohia. After they left they were known as Ngatiraukawa, while those who remained were known as Waikatos. Ngatiraukawa and Ngatikauwhata are two distinct peoples. I remember one instance in which they joined against a common enemy Had any one been desirous of buying Pakekura in 1840, when the first Governor came, they must have bought from Wi Tatnihana. Major Wilson (examined by Major Mair), sworn : John Wilson is my name. I have been in this district since 1864 or 18(55, and have been in communication with the resident Natives since that time. I know something of llieir customs and manners relating to land. There was no official interpreter attached to the forces here, and I was usually called upon in that behalf 1 wished to obtain leases of Maungatautari, Puahoe, and Pukekura. Horahora and Puahoe I arranged with Ngatikoroki. Pukekura I arranged with Tamihana, Eaihi, and others of Ngatihaua and Ngatikahukura. These Ngatikahukura were half-castes of Ngatikauwhata. 1 was told that Tamihana had the man aof the land ; I should go to him first. I saw him (as sent by the tribes) relative to Pukekura, in 1860. He told mo he had no objection, but that he had sent to Otaki for Ngatikauwhata, whom he called Ngatiraukawa ; that should they return by Christinas of that year, I could not have Pukekura ; if not, I could have it, and Hori Puao would then arrange the matter for me. They did not return, and I arranged with Hori Puao and Ngatihaua for a lease of this laud. A Court was called to sit at Cambridge, in 180(5 or 1867, to adjudicate on those lands. Parakaia and forty or fifty Ngatiraukawa caine from Otaki and asked the Court to adjourn for the absence of Otaki Ngatiraukawa. The claims were adjourned accordingly A second Court was fixed, and Parakaia and his people came again. I fed them. He again objected, and the claims were again adjourned. In 1868 he raised the same objection again for the third time, and the Court told him that they had treated the claimants so on two former occasions, and now he must plead, as the case must go on. He conducted the Ngatiraukawa case very ably, and acknowledged, when decision was given against him, that the Court was right. Parakaia is a Horahora grantee, and another Ngatiraukawa (Eopata te Ao), is in Puahoe. Horahora would not have been investigated at that time had Parakaia's name been excluded. It took two days to influence the Koroki to admit his name in the grant. Eopata te Ao's name was similarly put in Puahoe, after a long persuasion with Ngatikahukura. I knew these Natives well. I consider no true Ngatikauwhata were left here at the time of the migration to Kapiti. I arranged with the dominant tribes for these blocks ; but I took into consideration the claims of the subject people. When arranging for land, I went over the boundaries of what I wanted; and when I arranged for Pukekura, Tamihana's land was surveyed out of it, about 1,000 acres. Maori conquerors visually assert their whole right, and Ngatikauwhata who remained sided with Ngatihaua against Parakaia and Ngatiraukawa in Pukekura. The relatives here of Te Watene, one of Parakaia's associates, left him out of the land. Parakaia said he represented Ngatiraukawa. We heard not of Ngatikauwhata as Ngatikauwhata, and as a separate people. It was the general impression that Parakaia was representative of all the southern or Kapiti tribes. I had never heard of Ngatikauwhata as a tribe or other than as a hapu of Ngatiraukawa. I would think Tamihana's intention was to give the land to the absent Kauwhatas. They have not come to the invitation, only to oppose the local claimants. Examined by Mr. McDonald : I remember the Act of 1865. I think that some lands were excluded from its operation. Oroua is between Eangitikei and Ohau Eivers. About 1865 or 18G6 I saw Tamihana about Pukekura. He was of marked authority here. No particular person has succeeded to him. Ilia authority died with him. According to Native custom .none has now or ever had sufficient authority to disregard his act of disposal of lands. When he died all his acts were disregarded every man was a law to himself after his death. I cannot cite an instance. According to old Native custom a man could go and take a lease from Natives, and rely upon it as much as at present he may rely on the decision of the Court. At that time it did not matter how many names were in a Crown grant; now it is not so —everybody wants his name in. Perhaps it would have been easier for me to have obtained my lease should the Court have awarded it to a tribe. Pukekura has not been quite alieuated yet. All the grautees have not sold. The Court told the Natives to be careful in their choice of grantees, as they would be able to rob them. The matter was postponed thus for several days. It is not correct, as stated by Piripi, that the names for the Crown grant were chosen bv the Court, and not by the Natives. When I speak of Ngatikauwhata, I mean a man of a very small admixture of outside blood. Had the resident Ngatikauwhata been true ones, they would have accompanied their friends to Kapiti. Ido not think those who remained could have shared in the Kapiti lands without invitation. Had resident Ngatikauwhata proposed sale of land by consent of Tamihana, Ngatihaua could not oppose it. Any other disposition of land (other things equal) would have been equally valid. 1 wished to get the lease, and that is why I was glad to get Parakaia's name in Horahora. He got his name in, and he sold it to me. I think Ilopata, who got his name in Puahoe, has sold his interest. The expression of satisfaction by Parakaia had no relation to the fact of his having got into the grant by my exertion. I attended all the Courts. Parakaia, in 1868, was one of the applicants for adjournment. I heard of no application for adjournment by those in the South. William Nicholas Searanclce sworn : Many years ago 1 acted as Land Purchase Commissioner. In 1857 I was appointed to the District of Wellington. I had a great deal to do with Ngatiraukawa. I knew Parakaia te Pouepa very well. I made his acquaintance while negotiating the purchase of Awahou at Manawatu. I know several of Tapa te Whata's party. This block was claimed by Ngatiraukawa. I completed the purchase for about £1,700. The principal parties were Ihakara Tukumaru, Nepia Taratoa, and Hukiki, all of Ngatiraukawa. I saw the subdivision of this money —by Ihakara principally —into small sums for the separate hapus, I cannot remember all the subdivisions, but some was given to Ngatitoa, Muaupoko, and some to sections of Eaukawa living up the Mauawatu Eiver. Some was set aside for the tribe living at Awahuri, and a portion for the Natives of Eangitikei. Altogether, the money was broken up into seventeen parcels for the sections of the tribe. I had nothing to do with Pukekura officially While Eesident Magistrate of Waikato, in 1860 and 1867, Parakaia came to me he said he had come to look after Ngatiraukawa interests in lands to be brought before the Court,