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always been on the other side, and given what little influence I had with the Natives to Government, and not, like many as I know and heard, doing all they could to stop selling land, the same as at Rangitikei. Hoping again, your Honour will excuse me, but I am very much put out about this complaint, and I hope your Honour will not believe such a charge as is laid against me. I will also get all the Muaupokos to write to your Honour to clear myself. I am, &c, The Hon. W. Pox. ■ ■ H. McDonald.

No. 13. Mr. H. McDonald to the Hon. W. Pox. Your Honour, — Horowhenua, 26th October, 1869. I wrote to you in haste from Otaki, in answer to a notice from you for getting the Muaupokos to obstruct the survey of Horowhenua. Your Honour, the Ngatiraukawa stopped the women Caroline and Tautiki, from causing a row with the Muaupokos about the land of Te Whatanui. At a great meeting of all the Natives about here, at the Horowhenua pa —Kawana Hunia and Major Kemp were present—it was then that the stop was put to the survey till the proper owner came from Auckland. Your Honour, I cannot think to what purpose any one should lay a complaint against me now, as there has been no survey since then—that was in the beginning of April last—unless this man, Matene, that wanted to to turn me off about three weeks ago. If it is he, I shall take no more notice of him, as he was put down by the Ngati Huis at the time ; besides, he was turned away from here four years ago, by Te Whatanui, and has just come back. Your Honour, I should not trouble you, but Ido not wish you to think me an ass. It was only when the Land Court sat about Rangitikei that H. McDonald and party wrote for old Aparahaina te Hurahura, who was living close to me with his daughter, the late Whatanui's wife (my landlady) ; they sent him a coach-order for his passage. Hβ showed me the letter; I asked him if he was going, he said "Yes," he should go. I told him it was wrong, as he was one of the head land sellers ; he should not listen to what McDonald had to say, but wait till Mr. Buller and Dr. Peatherston sent for him. I and his wife and daughter were at him for some hours before he started to stick to Mr. Buller, and have nothing to do with the other side. Your Honour can think as you like of this, but I do not think it looks like any obstruction to the Government. Your Honour, I have enclosed a letter from the right owners of Horowhenua ; you will see what they say. Hoping you will excuse me troubling you again. I have, &c, The Hon. W. Pox. H. McDonald.

Enclosure in No. 13. Atebeti and Wiremu Pomabe to Mr. H. McDonald. 0, Sir ; O, Hector McDonald, — Mahurangi, 11th August, 1869. Salutations to you, to your children, and your wife, O friend. I have received your letter telling what has been done about the land, Horowhenua, that is to say, the action taken by these women who are disturbing you. This is my word to you : pay no attention to the opinions of these women ; remain on that land with your sheep. We will give you a lease of that land for as many years as you like. 0, friend, Ido not wish it to be surveyed now ; wait till Igo myself and see the land, and know their intentions. 0, friend Hector, show our letters to Mr. Eichmond and Tβ Eauparaha, because Te Tauparaha and I have talked together about Horowhenua, and because I am going in November to see you all. Sufficient. Atereti Pomabe. Hector McDonald, Horowhenua. Wiremu Pomabe. 768. You say you have a sort of hazy recollection of Pomare coming down here. Was it in 1871 ?—I could not tell you what year it was. 769. Is it not a fact that your father paid him certain money for rent on his arrival ?—I could not say. 770. Do you not know he paid him £10 when he came with Hene Kipa ? —I do not remember ; probably he did. 771. Do you not remember Pomare coming to your father's house when he arrived ? Do you not remember a great scene between them ?—No; I just saw him as an ordinary Native. 772. Do you remember Hene Kipa being there ?—I do not know who came with him. 773. Do you remember Hari Pomare living on this block for a considerable time ?—I do not remember him living on the block ; he may have been there with his relatives. 774. In the same way as Tauteka, and Caroline, and those people used to come in 1869 ?—I could not say ; I saw very little of him. 775. You have heard he came and lived on the block ?—No. 776. Mr. Morison.] Who, in your opinion, and from what you have seen, is the ariki of Muaupoko at the time when Te Whatanui came down ?—Principally Taueki; he was a recognised man amongst them. 777. Who is looked upon as the ariki at the present time amongst the Muaupoko alone ?— They are divided into sections and sub-tribes. There are four sub-tribes, and each one has an ariki, I am not prepared to say who is the head altogether. 778. Is it not recognised that, however Kemp may have managed affairs for Hunia, Taueki is the ariki to-day ? — 779. Mr. McDonald.] You have just said that the Muaupoko are divided into four sections. Will you give me the names of the four sections ?—Although they are not divided back to back like many of the Ngatiraukawa, they live as a whole just now ; but it has always been known that they are divided into four families, although it would be very hard to " draft ". them. 780. What are the names of the hapus ? —Ngatipariri, Ngatihini, and I cannot remember the other two. 781. You are positive you have always understood that they are really divisable into four?—l think so. 782. Tell us who you consider to be the leading man of each of the divisions ?—I would not be prepared to say who is the leading man in each division. 783. You were born in 1856, and you would be about six or seven years old in the early sixties. Can you tell me how far back you can recollect Kemp having anything to do personally with the Muaupoko people on Horowhenua ? When do you first recollect him meddling in any way with affairs of the people locally ?—I should not be prepared to say. 784. Do you remember Wirihana Hunia, who was killed at the Wanganui races, who was brought down here and buried ?—I have heard of him.