Page image

G.—2

72

in the Supreme Court. [Extract read.] Was not that to protest against the sale by Warena?— None of them ever said anything to me. It was because they stopped the surveyor, because they objected to the partition, to prevent Warena from getting his title. 372. Kip a te Whatanui.] —Where do you live?—At Eangitikei. 373. Have you not seen Hector McDonald living at Horowhenua?—Yes ; I have often stayed there. 374. Did you not learn from Hector that he lived there in consequence of having leased the land from the natives ?—Yes ; I knew that. 375. From whom did he lease it ? —I heard that he leased it from Te Whatanui. It was from Hokoio to Waiwiri—2,ooo or 3,000 acres or more. 376. Was not the 1,200 acres a portion of the 3,000 or more leased to Hector McDonald?— Yes ; that was in the lease. 377. When Hector ceased to remain on the part by the bush, do you not know that he then lived on the upper part, near the lake ?—Yes ; he shifted from the bush and went up inland. 378. Did he still go there on the strength of the lease given him by Te Whatanui? —That I could not say. 379. Did you not understand that Whatanui was an important chief of Muaupoko ?—Yes ; I have heard it mentioned very often that Te Whatanui was a large chief of Ngatiraukawa. He had saved Muaupoko, and taken them under his protection. 380. Do you know how many children Whatanui had, who lived on this land ? —No ; I only know one of Whatanui , s sons ; a man that was married at Eangitikei to a woman named Lydia. He was the last of the Whatanui I knew. 381. During the lifetime of Whatanui, did you ever hear of any disturbance on the land?—l could not say when he died. The first disturbance, as far as I can recollect, commenced about 1868 to 1870-71; whether he was alive then or not Ido not know. 382. From the time of Whatanui to now T , you knew the Ngatiraukawa lived on this land?— Yes; some of them live there still. 383. .They have not acquiesced in the decision of the Court of 1873? —I understood that they were never satisfied. 384. Do you not know the descendants of Whatanui sent a petition to Parliament in 1890 ?—I heard so; I think you were there with a petition. 385. Was not that a petition to rehear the land ?—I did not hear the purport of it. 386. Have you heard about the fights that took place on this land ?—Yes; about the burning of the whares. 387. Bopata Banapiri.] You have stated that the Ngatiraukawa had trouble with the Muaupoko in 1860 ? —I said after 1860. 388. When do you think the trouble ceased?—l could not say from memory ; but I have not heard anything fresh about the trouble since about 1874 and 1875. 389. Did you not hear that Sir Donald McLean came down here to end the dispute between the Ngatiraukawa and Muaupoko ? —Yes; and I am under the impression that was about 1874. 390. Do you not know that he and Kemp saw the Ngatiraukawa, and ended the dispute ?—I I have heard so, and I have not heard of any dispute since then. 391. You have seen the Ngatiraukawa living on the southern portion of this block?— Yes; I I believe some of them are living there now. 392. Do you know that Kemp put a piece of land on one side for the Ngatiraukawa on this land ? —Yes; I have often heard that this 1,200 acres was arranged for that purpose. 393. Have you heard of any other reserves given to Ngatiraukawa in this block ?—There was another of 100 acres, but cannot say what date it was. 394. Do you know the hapu, or the men to whom that 100 acres was to be allotted ? —I always understood it to be allotted to te Whatanni and his descendants. 395. Do you know of any trouble that occurred between Ngatiraukawa and Muaupoko since 1874 to the present time ?—I cannot say ; I would not say there was not. 396. But you know there was before 1874? —Yes. 397. Mr. Stevens.'] On the occasion of the meeting at which Te Puke spoke, did he explain to the Court what took place. Just then there was some reference to the 8,000 acres offered to the people, and Te Puke was requested to make some statement in reference to that: what transpired ? ■ —I told Te Puke to ask Kemp when he intended to give No. 6to the people, seeing that all the rest got No. 3. Kemp's answer was: " I thought you would leave that with me, inasmuch as I was giving you land here in No. 11." Albxandee McDonald examined. 398. The Chairman.] Will you give the history, as far as you can, of the various dealings with the Horowhenua Block, as far back as you can go from personal knowledge ? —I have some knowledge of the proceedings in regard to the block as far back as 1849; but I cannot think that would have anything to do with this matter. I was present at the Court of 1873, but it was in connection with another block altogether. I had nothing to do with this except a general knowledge that there was a great case between the tribes of Ngatiraukawa, Ngatiawa, and Ngatitoa, on the one hand, and the original tribes—Muaupoko, Eangitane, and Ngatiapa—on the other, over the whole district, commencing at Manawatu, down to the Kukutuaki Stream, near Waikanae, known as the Mana-watu-Kukutuaki, meaning the Maukuku Block. The claim of the Ngatiapa and Ngatitoa was to this district by conquest. Whether they proved it or not,l could not say: at all events, the Native Land Court followed its usual practice of providing for any persons of the original tribe who clung to the land and remained on it notwithstanding the incursion and overwhelming strength of the incoming tribes. They allotted this 52,000 acres to the Muaupoko; and another section, at Palmer-