13

G.—2.

168. Mr. Parris: When I obtained the Huiroa Block for the Government I was requested by Mere Poka and Hone Pihama to reserve the two pieces referred to by Tutorakina. The land was reserved, and I believe it is recorded on the map as reserved. The two blocks are near Manganui. 169. The Commissioners.] At the time you made the reserves, was there anj r arrangement for the people to have a Crown grant given to them for the land ? —Tes. They were very particular about the names which should be placed in the Crown grant. They named Hone Pihama and Merc Poka ; but of course others were interested. 170. The Commissioners: These reserves are quite clear. But, in regard to the people in whoso names the Crown grants will afterwards bo issued, that is a thing which must be left for future investigation. 171. Ngahina, of Matengarara, said : What has the Commission come here for ? This is confiscated land, from Waitotara to Waingongoro. It was confiscated after the war conducted by Geueral Chute. I then came to live amongst the Europeans, after tlie fail of Pokaikai. These hapus all came in: Tangahoe, Ngatihine, and Ngarauru. Air. Eichmond and Mc. Parris came here, and also Hone Pihama. They came to my kainga at Matangarara, and the whole of the people of Tangahoe assembled there. This land was discussed there, aud I debated the matter with Mr. Eichmond and Mr. Parris, and insisted that the land should all be given to me, because I considered that my offence [rebellion] had been satisfied by the murder of our people at Pokaikai by Colonel McDonnell. It was while I was absent on a message of peace to Governor Grey that my people were massacred by Colonel McDonnell. Mr. Eichmond and Mr. Parris insisted that some pieces only should be reserved to us here; but I said, No; it should all revert to us, and the Government should have none here. But my people agreed to it, and Mr. Eichmond and Mr. Parris allowed us to have 10,000 acres. Mr. Eichmond and Mr. Parris then gave us 420 acres at W raukena on the coast. I said to them that I ought to have all the land from the mouth of the Tangahoe right up inland. Mr. Eichmond said to me, "No; you must be content with this laud here;" and I said, "I own no land here; Waukena is my land." Mr. Eichmond said to us, "Never mind your Maori customs; you must live according to our European custom;" and Mr. Eichmond and Mr. Parris allowed me 100 acres near the mouth of Tangahoe, to enclose the old burialgrounds, where it is all sand. I then went with Mr. Eichmond and Mr. Parris to determine where the reserves inland should be for the Ngatihine tribe. When Mr. Eichmond's Government was turned out these reserves were settled satisfactorily. Then Sir Donald McLean's Government came in, and 20 acres were taken off the land at W raukena, which originally comprised 420 acres. 172. The Commissioners: We have seen a map showing the area of the land at Waukena to be 400 acres as surveyed. 173. Ngahina : I know that I am right, because the surveyor took Hone Pihama and showed him the survey pegs. Hone then took the people and pointed the pegs out to them. The surveyor was Mr. Wilson Hursthouse. Now the land has been fenced, and the survey peg which was pointed out to Hone has been left out. The fence is inside of the original peg. I think you will believe that Hone • would not make a false statement. I will now go on to speak of the 100 acres at the mouth of Tangahoe. According to the promise of Mr. Eichmond, and according to the old maps, it was 100 acres ; but now it is only 60: 40 acres have been taken by the Government. All these promises made to us by Mr. Eichmond have been served in the same way by the Government: large portions of the lands have been deducted. It is the same also in regard to lands belonging to my people, tbe Ngarauru, but when the Commission is inquiring into those other matters I will speak more fully on that subject. With reference to the Whareroa reserve of 10,000 acres, the survey peg was between Tangahoe and Tawhiti, near the junction of the two streams at the bridge. It has since been moved. That is all I have to say about that matter. I will speak to you now about the confiscation. The land confiscated in the time of General Chute and General Cameron extended over eight miles from the sea inland. Mr. Eichmond said to us, in regard to this land between Tangahoe and Waingongoro, that, if the Government sold the land, the Maoris should receive half of the proceeds of the sale. I never agreed to that proposal. The land now lies between us. I have never asked for sixpence on account of the land. That is all 1 have to say. 174. Lraia Tuki, of Taiporohenui, said : The boundary line of Whareroa Eeserve goes from Tawhiti to Kiwitahi and on to Mangemange Stream. The peg was brought back several yards. The original boundary line went in a direct line; but a new boundary line was taken in such a direction that by the time it reached the bush it was two chains inside tho old boundary line, thus reducing considerably Ihe size of the block. Besides, when the new line reaches the bush, instead of continuing as the old line did, it branches off. I now come to tho southern boundary. The line drawn by Mr. Hursthouse commenced at Okatupu and went on thence straight. It came direct from there to the other boundary line : but afterwards it was brought further down to Owhangae, and commences from there now. The original boundary lines went straight on, but now they have been contracted and brought closer together. The boundary line has been brought back about a mile or more from Whakaputu. I wish that the boundaries may be taken back to the original line shown us. This is all I have to say about the boundaries. We wish that this land should be divided amongst the people —amongst the men, women, and children interested. 175. The Commissioners : We will tako the different matters iu the order in which they have been brought forward. Eirst, about Ngaere and Toko. In both of these pieces of land there is a small piece which is within the confiscated boundary. The larger piece outside has been negotiated for by Major Brown: and purchases made on the part of tho Government must go through the Native Lands Court, and a day has been fixed for going into the case, when the Natives will have an opportunity of putting forward any objections they may have to tho purchase. In regard to Whakahurangi, nothing has been done by the Government about that. It is inside the confiscated boundary, and by-and-by the question of any takoha will have to be considered. It is on the other side of Patea Biver, and the people to be considered first will be the Ngatitupaea. Major Brown has explained to the Commission that, although he has not done anything about this piece of land, perhaps there may have been some dealing with it in the Land Office ; the matter must be left until we have made inquiry. In reference to Huiroa and Manganui, those two reserves are quite clear; but when we are at New