THE LAND DISPUTE AT WHANGAMATA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1457, 17 October 1872, Page 2

THE LAND DISPUTE AT WHANGAMATA.

(From the New Zealand "Herald.)

This quarrel is of old standing. The Ngatipu and Urungawera tribes claim the whole of the Whangamata and Hikataia district, and their right is disputed by the Ngatikaraua and Ngatiwbanaunga. Some two or three years ago, these people were in active hostility to each other—built war pas, and expended a quantity of powder, but did nob draw blood on either side. European influence was brought to bear on both sides, and the matter dropped. The Ngatipu then engaged Mr Mackay to carry their case through the Native Lands Court, and it was advertised for hearing at the Court which sat a< Shortland, in August last; but in consequence of there being no purvey, the case was, at the request of the opposing claimants of Ngatikaraua, adjourned to the next sitting of the Court, " on the understanding that if a survey was not made by that time, the title would be investigated without previous survey." Mr John Davis (a nephew of Mr C. 0. Davis) promised on behalf of Ngatkaraun, that he would make a survey of land within three months. The Ngatipu went to their agent, Mr Mackay, and asked him to make the survey, which he objected to, for fear of making a disturbance, and suggested tha: Ngatikaraua should be allowed to make the survey. The NgHtipu then took the survey into their own hands, and commenced at Whangamata. The Ngatikaraua, on 1 earing this, invoked the assistance of Te Hira and the Ohiue muri natives; a sttong party went, out and succeeded in finding the surveyors, destroyed their stores of food, and ear ried off the chain and theodolite stand in triumph to Shortland, where they were delivered with due form and; ceremony to Mr Puekey, who restored them to Mr Buscke, the surveyor. The Ngatipu were not. however, to be thus debarred from completing their survey, and Mr Buscke then proceeded to make a trigonometrical survey of the Whangamata Block, he having a sufficient base and points fixed by the work done, before he was interrupted, to enable him to do so Apian has been compiled from this survey, and the area in dispute is about sixty thousand acres. The Ngatik-irau, on their side, have engaged Mr Tole to make a survey of the portion they claim ; and the Ngatipu, in return for Te Hira and Ngau karaua having interrupted their purvey, have twice taken Mr Tole's chain from him. The Ngatipu have never gone armed to obstruct Tole's survey, but the Ngatikaraua have had as many as sixteen armed men,parading about with their survey party They have now abandoned the survey of Whangamata, and intend to commence that of Hiku taia instead. We understand that Mr Mackay has told the Ngatipu and Urungawera io allow the Ngatikaraua and Ngatiwhanauga to complete their survey without opposition, and threatens if they per.>i«t in making a disturbance he will not conduct their case in the Native Lands Court. The Ngatipu are now at Short land awaiting Mr Mackay's arrival there, and the Urungawera are probably sitting quietly at their settlement, at Parakiwai, near Whangamata, as Mr John Giiilding, who was sent there by Mr Mackay, reports that they will not oppose the survey. Mr Warbrick, of Tauranga, has also—under Mr Mackay's directions—despatched Hamiora Tu and Rani era te Hiahia ('wo Tauranga chiefs) to Whangamata, to restrain the Urungawera. We have been shown private telegrams which lend us to believe that there will be no further trouble about this matter, and it will be lett to the Native Lands Court to decide the question of tiile. Te Hira, of Ohinemuri, is backing r.p the Ngatikaraua in their survey, and has by so doing placed him self in a wrong position with the King party,.as he and the) have repeatedly declared that no survey shall be made within the King's territory. The Whangamata and Hikutaia blocks adjoin the Ohinemuri country, and if the Ngatipu succeed in establishing their claim, a large portion of it will" probably be sold to the Government. Herewine te Rangai is the principal chief of the Ngatipu and \Viremn Kotero of the Urungawera.

Rawiri Taiporutu is the principal chief of the Ngatikaraua, • and Hgakapa. Whanaunga of the NgatiwhanaungaMr Mackay is agent for the ami Mr C. O. Da\ is for the latter.