20

564. Did you consent to the sale ?—I did not originally want to sell, but I joined in the sale because of tho conduct of those who joined in the lease. They kept the money, aud gave us no share of it. AYe were vexed and annoyed at their conduct, and determined to sell the land. 565. Did you get no share of tho rent?—No; we got a shilling occasionally, which we spent in grog. 563. Tou never signed any paper to the Government, asking them to take off the reserve on the land ?• —-I did not. 567. AVere you ever taken before Major Roberts to be asked whether you had any objection to it?—l did not go before Major Roberts. 568. Captain Morris (through the Chairman).] Did you see the money paid by Captain Morris ?— Tes. 569. Where was it paid ?—At Tauranga—at Te Papa. 570. At what particular place ? —ln the Government office at Tauranga. 571. Who was present when it was paid ?—Do you mean Europeans? 572. Europeans and Maoris ? —Mr. Brabant aud Mr. Hopkins Clarke were there. 573. In what form was the money paid ? —ln notes. 574. AVas it all paid in notes ?—There were some cheques ; we call them paper. 575. At what time of the day was it paid ? —I forget the hour, lt was paid in the daylight. 576. How then do you come to say it was paid iv tho night ? —That was the partition of the money at night. 577. Tou do not mean to say that Captain Morris paid the money at night, but that the money was divided at night?—l meant the distribution took place at night. Captain Morris paid us the money in the daylight, and we took it away to our kaingas. 578. At the time the money was paid by Captain Morris wore you sober?—We were sober when the money was paid ; it was only when we got home at night that we were drunk. 579. AVas Captain Morris present at the partition of the money ? —No.

AVednesday, 18th October, 1879. Te Ranapia Kahukoti examined. 580. Hon. Sir George Grey.] Do you know the land that was sold by the Natives to Captain Morris at Tauranga ?—Tes; I knowr it. 581. What were the names of tho pieces of land ?— These places have many names. These are sufficient to tell you about. 582. Have you been summoned here to give evidence about that land ?—Tes. 583. AVhen did you arrive here ?—Last Sunday. 584. AVhere are you living here?—At a restaurant opposite here. 585. AVhere did you go to when you first came here ? —I went to the Native hostelry. 586. AVho took you away from there ? —lt was my own desire. I did not care about stopping in that house, and therefore I wont to seek for another house. 587. AVho took you to the house where you live?—l asked Captain Morris to see Mr. Clarke, for the purpose of seeking for a house in which we could live. 588. AVho appointed the house you live in for you? —Captain Morris. 589. What Europeans are living in the same house? —I do not know the Europeans of AVellington. 590. Do you know any European who is living there ?—I know them by sight; Ido not know their names. 591. Do you know the names of any Europeans living there ?—No ; I do not know tho names of any of them. 592. Do no Europeans you know live in the house ? —There are many Europeans living there— the custodian, one waiter, and a lot of others I do not know. 593. Do any members of Parliament live there ? —No; I have not as yet seen that any of them live in that house. 594. Do you know Mr. Swanson ? —I do not know him. 595. Do you know Sir Robert Douglas?— No. 596. Do you know Mrs. Douglas, the petitioner ?—Tes. 597. Has she any rights over the lands that were sold to Captain Morris ?—AVith reference to that question, I wish to be allowed to make a statement to the Committee about that woman. That woman has an interest in those lands, but I was the person who administered the affairs with regard to those lands. It was for me to say whose claim was right or whose claim was wrong in respect of those lands that were sold to Captain Morris. The whole question of the title of these lands was gone into, and we, Ngatihe, got the land. After we got the land in that way we returned it to the Ngaiteahi— to Pomare, , and others. That woman, Mrs. Douglas, is a member ofthe hapu. We claim the land as being ours, and we assert we are the chiefs of that laud. The giving away of that land to our hapus was done with the consent of the Commissioner, and it was those hapus that sold to Captain Morris. AVo were unable to return on to those lands to take any part in tho disposal of them. That is all I have to say about this woman. I do not admit that she has a real claim upon the land. Her claim is simply as being a member of the Ngaiteahi hapu. Ido not admit her right to claim through her ancestor. 598. Is that your signature to this letter of 3rd March, 1875 ?—Tes. [(Copy.) " Tauranga, 3rd March, 1875. To Mr. Clarke, —Friend, we are desirous of selling our piece of land called to Captain Morris. AVo ask you to ask the Government to consent that that land should be surveyed by us, with the object of selling it to him. Sufficient. Prom Ranapia."] 599. AVhere did you sign that letter ? —At Tauranga.