Native Land Commission.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 13 August 1891, Page 2

Native Land Commission.

♦ Judge Fenton narrated the following instance as to how the Maoris in the olden time acted when the Maori Chief was a Gentleman. I was present at the completion of a purchase at Tokatoka, that -"queer spiral mountain on the Northern Wairoa. The price had been settled at a general assembly of the tribe. Then came the question of payment which of course was the most important part, of the transaction. There were the chiefs seated round a circle. It was disputed land in the old days, but the dominant man and the most warlike chief iji the old days in that distriot was old Tirarau, chief of the Parawhau, a hapu of the Ngapuhi Tribe. He occupied the place of honour, and next to him was Parore, his brother-in-law, a chief of the same hapu. Then, there were Paikea, Te Wheinga Paruna, and Manukau, chiefs of the Uriohau, who were the original owners. Tirarau and Parore might be called the conquistador*, and along with them there were the representatives of the subdued tribe, as I have stated, which was a branch of the Ngatiwhatua. They were all assembled in a cirole, and their people sat behind. Mr Johnson was the land purchase Commissioner, and he had with him a bag oontaining 800 sovereigns. That was the price agreed upon at the runanga of the people. Mr Johnson wag an experienced man in these transactions, and he put his bag of sovereigns down in the centre of the circle. There it was, and there it remained, for half an hour, and- not a word was spoken by anybody during that time. At last a ragged old chief named Te Wheinga got up. I may say that he had been banished to an old settlement on the other side of the river for having committed murder, It; was not a tika or oorreot sort of. murder, and he had been boycotted accordingly. Te Wheinga lifted upj the bag, and put it down alongside' Te Tirarau. There it remained forj five minutes. Tben Te Tirarau got up and grayely replaoed it in the. centre of the cirole where it remained for another five minutes. Then he lifted it up again, and placed it alongside Parore, his brother-in-law. Another five minutes elapsed, and then Parore, in his turn, returned it to the centre. During this proceeding I was struck with the dignity, and simplicity, arid the consideration for one another's feelings whioh was manifested throughout. At last Pikea, chief of the conquered people, rose_up, and put the hag alongside Tirarau, and there it remained. Another half hour elapsed, and the feelings of the principle men having now been conciliated, Tirarau lifted up the bag, and, putting in his hand took out a handful of sovereigns, and gave them to the chiefs. All were served alike, Tirarau ih no instance troubling to count the money ; but the amounts appeared to be pretty equal. I noticed, that he gave a great deal to the ragged old. chief Te Wheinga. Then, when all the money han been distributed, he lifted up the bag with both hands, and shook it to show that none remained. He did not leave a single sovereign for his own share. That took plaoe ih the days when the Maori chief was a gentleman.. They would not do that now.