85

G.—2

49. It follows, therefore, that you were offered and accepted the appointment some time before the date of your letter to the Farmer ? —lf you are insinuating that I am holding my present position in consequence of my letter, I shall ask the Commission to relieve me of my position. If it is suggested to the Commission that my appointment in this case is the result of my letter to the Farmer, I ask the Commission to relieve me from my duty. I will not have it put in that way. I believe myself to be the most competent man on the coast to-day to represent the Muaupoko. I was recommended cordially by those who recommended me, and I do not think my letter had anything to do with it. 50. Will you state, if you can, the name of a single member of the Muaupoko Tribe whom you can claim to represent before the Commission, outside of the little Ngatipariri hapu who, as Warena says, have been cleaving to him?—l think Hoani Puihi has a paper retaining me before I ever heard or thought of any appointment by the Government; he is the only one I can recollect. 51. He is Ngatipariri?—He has not a drop of Ngatipariri blood in his body. 52. Has he not cast in his lot with that section ?—Not that I know of; on the contrary. 53. You look upon him as one of Warena Hunia's section ?—No; on the contrary, I have very strong instructions about what I am to do or say about Warena, and Kemp, too. 54. Is he with the Ngatipariri in any way ? —One of his wives is Ngatipariri. 55. He is the only one you can claim to represent ? —He showed me a number of names on the paper, but I cannot recollect them now. 56. Can you tell me how many there are in this party, which, as Warena says, has been cleaving to him ? —No ; I cannot. 57. In the course of the negotiations which led to your appearing here in the capacity in which you are appearing, did you have an interview with Mr. Sheridan of the Land Purchase office?—l have met him ; I never met him about this case. 58. Mr. Fraser.] Can you not say this: That it was entirely through Mr. Wilson's bringing the matter before the Minister that you were retained in this case ?—So I was given to understand. .59. Through him saving that there was a probability of injustice being done to a large number of people, if they were not represented ?—Yes ; I did see Mr. Wilson for a minute, and he told me he had recommended the Minister to appoint me. 60. Before this you were an absolute stranger to Mr. McKenzie ?—Yes ; I had only seen him from the gallery of the House. 61. You have been asked as to the rangatiraship of Kemp. From your knowledge is not Kemp's rangatiraship more pakeha mana than Maori mana ?—Down here in Muaupoko, yes; entirely pakeha mana. 62. His mana whakapapa would be, " Post-boy, policeman—fighting against his own tribe "?— He gained all his power and influence through the rank he held as a soldier. But he is a great Wanganui chief. 63. When you wrote this letter was it intended as an attack on Sir Walter Buller?—lt was intended as a flat contradiction of some statements in his pamphlet. 64. Not as a personal attack?— No. 65. Sir W. Buller.] It was a reply to statements in the petition of 1894, mentioned in that pamphlet ? —Yes. 66. The Chairman.] You are not claiming to represent any individual ?—No; not in the interest of any individual, but to watch the interests of the tribe generally. 67. Keepa te Whatanui.] Where did you reside?—At Shannon. 68. How many years have you been in New Zealand?— Going on now for fifty-six years. 69. You have frequently gone to Wellington during your residence in this Island ?—Yes. 70. You have been acquainted with the tribes living between Bangitikei and Wellington?—l was and am. 71. You know the Muaupoko Tribe?— Yes ; since they have had any name. 72. Who was their chief when \ou knew them when you first began to travel to Wellington?— The chief at that time—nearly fifty years ago—in Horowhenua, was Te Whatanui, of Ngatiraukawa. I could not say who was chief of Muaupoko. 73. Do you know that Te Rauparaha made war upon Muaupoko, and they were saved alive by Te Whatanui ?—Yes ; that was said to have been the case. 74. Do you not know it was before the Treaty of Waitangi that Whatanui resided on this block? —I believe it was ; I was not here before then. 75. At the investigation of title by the Native Land Court into this Horowhenua Block, upon whose application was the investigation in 1873?— I do not think it was separately investigated; it was part of the Manawatu-Kukutauaki Block. 76. When did the investigation of that Block begin ?—I believe in 1872; the judgment was given in 1873. 77. Who was the block awarded to ?—lt was awarded to Ngatiraukawa, with the exception of this 52,000 acres at Horowhenua and another block. 78. These blocks were afterwards investigated?—lt may have been so; I am not aware. 79. Do yot know that Wiremu Pomare and Watene to Waewae and Tauteka applied to have this separate block investigated in 1873 ?—I do not know. 80. Do you not know that Mr. Buckley, now Sir Patrick, was their solicitor?—He was the solicitor for Ngatiraukawa. I was not aware this block was separately investigated at all, but it may have been so. 81. Do you know that when the case was in progress for two weeks, the boundary was shifted to Waiwiri ?—I do not; I have said Ido not remember that investigation of which you speak. 82. If it is found to be so in the books of the Court, will that be right ? —Certainly.