G.—2a

4

come back to him, or, failing that, that a rehearing would have been granted. Matene te Whiwhi and Tamihana te Bauparaha stood up and advised Watene not to press the matter. Next day, or the day following, Mr. Booth and Mr. Young came to us, and we signed the agreement. It was read out to us in Maori when we signed. The promise of reserves induced us to sign it. Ido not remember it being stipulated that the reserves were to be between Papaitonga and the sea. I thought the reserves would be at Waiwiri and Mahoenui. I at one time thought we should have all the land claimed for us by Mr. Morison this morning, but after what the Commissioners said about it I cannot expect it. I know that the Commissioners recommended that the 80 acres should be in extinguishment of the Ngatiraukawa claim, but that would be wrong. I consider it only fulfils the promise made by Kemp of 1,300 acres for the descendants of Te Whatanui. The cultivations at Mahoenui were extensive. The reserves were spoken of in 1886 at Palmerston. I said this before the Commission ; so did Kemp. Te Puke corresponded with the Government about the reserves after the agreement of 1874, as Te Watene did about the 1,300 acres. Heni te Bei sworn. Witness : I am the daughter of Matene te Whiwhi. I know Mahoenui. I have heard of boundary running from Bakauhamama to Mahoenui. It was laid down by Topeora and Te Whatanui as a boundary between them. The land south of the boundary was Bangihaeata's; he kept it for himself after Ngatiraukawa took possession of it. Ngatiparekohatu was his principal hapu. Topeora and Bangihaeata were the descendants of Pareraukawa who occupied the land. Topeora's children lived on it. Bia Waitohi used to go there to her elders. Hoani Tuatete occupied. Erana Bauparaha lived there permanently. Erenora Tungia cultivated there. Te Bauparaha used to go there to visit Te Bangihaea.ta. I did not go to Wellington with Matene and others at time of dispute in 1874. When they returned I heard that Sir Donald McLean had given them some money, and that he and Kemp had promised them the reserves we are now speaking of. I heard Matene te Whiwhi ask Kemp to survey the reserves. Kemp was a friend of his. I have also asked Kemp for the reserves. I asked him at Otaki. He replied that the lawyers were arranging it. Waiwiri was not an ancestral boundary. It is a new boundary of Kemp's ; the land belonged to us. The land lying south of the Horowhenua boundary belonged to Ahikaramu. I am one of the owners of it now. It was originally all one land until Kemp's boundary cut it in two. I remember meeting Kemp at Waikanae. I spoke to him then in Wi Parata's house; his Wanganui people were with him. I think it was the year Taipua's daughter died, or the year Wi Parata's wife died; I forget which. Cross-examined by Sir Walter Buller. Witness: I spoke to Kemp about the reserves because I had heard that he and Sir Donald McLean had agreed to give us reserves. I first spoke to Kemp about them either when Wi Parata's wife or Taipua's daughter died. I signed a petition when Hoani Taipua was a member of Parliament praying that Horowhenua and Waiwiri might be reopened. I have not written to the Government about the reserves. I looked to Kemp. I believed the matter rested with Kemp and Sir Donald McLean. I have not spoken to Muaupoko about it. Mr. J. M. Fraser : No questions. Cross-examined by Mr. McDonald. Witness : My father told me when he returned from Wellington that Kemp and Sir Donald McLean had promised us some reserves in the Horowhenua Block. To Court: I have been at Waiwiri; not at Mahoenui. I have been to Bakauhamama. I lived permanently at Waiwiri, at the Ngatihikitanga kaingas. Outside of this block—south of it. I only went to Bakauhamama as a visitor. Bauparaha used to visit Te Bangihaeata. He never lived on this block. Bangihaeata lived at Waiwiri, the part where I lived. Matene te Whiwhi lived at Waiwiri, south of southern boundary of Horowhenua. It was all one land in those days. My relatives, Topeora and others, lived at Mahoenui. The Court adjourned till the 10th instant.

Levin, Saturday, 10th April, 1897. The Court opened at 10 a.m. Present: The same. Horowhenua No. 11: Application by Ngatiraukawa under subsection (d), section 8, of "The Horowhenua Block Act, 1896." Mr. Ransfield said he had heard outside that his application had been sent in too late. The Court informed Mr. Bansfield that his application was in time. Mr. Morison : I will call Hura. Hura Ngahue sworn. Witness : I live at Papaitonga. I was born there. I know Kemp's boundary at Waiwiri as laid down by Court in 1873. I know a boundary north of this, from Bakauhamama to Mahoenui. Can give names of all kaingas between those boundaries. There is a cultivation at Mahoenui, near Papaitonga Lake. There were houses there when the land was cultivated. Topeora, Te Paea, Aperahama te Buru, Hikake, Waitohi, Te Bauparaha, and many others cultivated there. There were other cultivations at Otawhaowhao, near the boundary from Bakauhamama to Mahoenui. The same people cultivated there. Bakauhamama was a fishing kainga. Whakamate was another kainga on the north side of Waiwiri Stream, some distance north of lake. Our elders lived there,