CK—4c
30
there on a visit; he took no active part in the discussion as to the boundary, but read a letter to me that the Natives had written about Joshua Jones getting the Natives down the river to sign some paper (as Mr. Jones said), to get their names put on the electoral roll, but that the Natives themselves were suspicious that it was for some purpose about land at Mokau, and that they had sent the letter to Mr. Ballance —the then Native Minister—and were awaiting an answer. Wahanui said that Mr. Percy Smith had spoken to him to have the Mokau Block cut out, but that he first wanted to find out who claimed the land and who had got it put through the Court. When I told "Wharo of the line, as fixed by the order of the Court, due south from Totoro, he said there was no such Native boundary. I was about two hours with him, but could come to no conclusion, except to wait. Wharo remarked that as soon as they (the Natives) were satisfied, he would soon find men to show me the boundary. I returned to Totoro the same day and informed the Natives there what had taken place, which they quite agreed in, and said they would follow the same course. The next day I told the Natives that I would send down for my instruments, and that I would connect the two mineral-springs-so as to fix the position. Te Huia told me I had better not, as it would cause trouble between themselves. I was absent for a few days on other work in the district, and returned to Mokau Heads and saw W Tetere. He stated that Paiura had brought this particular block before the Land Court, and that he had interfered and saved the land from being taken away from the proper owners. On referring to the Gazette notice, of which he had a copy, his statement proved incorrect. .Some of the up-river Natives were present at this conversation, and expressed great surprise that the land had been dealt with by the Court as far as Totoro. I then returned to New Plymouth. The Natives agreed that Epiha Karoro had a claim as far up the river as Kokahurangi. and that there was a Native boundary running across from there to the Mohakatino Stream. I suggested to have that boundary marked and surveyed, and to then get it settled in Court. That would be about half of the area of the Mokau-Mohakatino Block No 1, as at present surveyed. I had met Epiha on my way down to Mokau Heads, and he then admitted to me that he had no claim up to Totoro. Another Native, Te Oha (since dead), had previously told me of this boundary running across from Kokahurangi; that was why I proposed it. I then returned to New Plymouth, andr eported to the Chief Surveyor. In January, 1886, Mr. Humphries (the Chief Surveyor) and I went up the Mokau Eiver to Totoro, and on my way up we saw the Natives, both at Mokau Heads and at Totoro, and also at Miruahuiao, and saw Wharo and Wahanui at the last-named place.. The Natives all agreed to the cutting of the line from Kokahurangi to the source of the Mohakatino, and I then commenced that line, which was subsequently finished by Mr. Dalziel, and a plan prepared accordingly. This was the plan which was put before the Native Land Court at Otorohanga, held before Judge Mair in October, 1886. I believe the boundary was there objected to, and that another line further to the seaward was fixed by agreement between the Natives ; but the amended line was never surveyed. When I explained to the Natives the effect of the order of the Court, and showed them the sketch-plan which I had with me, they all expressed great surprise at the boundary having been taken to Totoro. At the time of my visit to Mokau I knew nothing officially of Jones's lease; my object was solely to get the line for the purpose of the Aotea Block, the survey of which had been undertaken by the Government. Many of the Natives mentioned Mr. Jones's claim to me, and said if the survey was for the purpose of his lease they would have nothing to do with it. I always told them I had nothing to do with Jones's lease, and that the survey was for the purpose which I had explained to them, and for no other. I said I wanted simply to divide the two blocks, and they could then settle the boundaries between themselves. One of the Natives, a woman named Tukiata, was very excited about the lease. She said if her signature was to the lease she had not put it there, and she would have nothing to do with it. I took full notes of all that passed at the time to which I have referred in giving this evidence. Peteb Dalziel, having been duly sworn, gave evidence, as follows :— I am one of the staff-surveyors in connection with the Survey Department in New Plymouth. In February last I proceeded to Totoro under instructions from the Chief Surveyor. My instructions were to run a line from the mineral-spring at Motukaramu, which is about a mile to the eastward of Totoro, due south to a point about three miles east of the source of the Mohakatino. At the time I started the principal Mokau Natives were in New Plymouth, in attendance at the Magistrate's Court in a case of assault against Mr. Joshua Jones ; these were the Natives from the Mokau Heads, at the western end of the block. Their settlement is about fifty miles from Totoro. There is no Native settlement between Totoro and Mokau Heads. When I got to Totoro I found that most of the Natives interested in the block, who resided at Totoro, were absent. I was told by the other Natives that they were attending the late Native Land Court at Otorohanga. It was the principal Natives who were absent. The Natives who were principally interested in the survey were absent at Otorohanga. There were a few young men left at Totoro, also a Native named Topuni, who was one of the leading Natives of that settlement. I should think, including women and children, there were about twenty or thirty Natives still left at Totoro. The same day I arrived I proceeded to fix the starting-point. In making the necessary traverses I was obstructed by some women, who pulled up the poles. At that time I was working on the other side of the river, outside the Mokau-Mohakatino Block. They finally allowed me to fix the starting-point at the mineral-spring of Motukaramu, and I commenced to run the line. After I had