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of their connection with Te Whiti, who said all the land was to come back. We did not finish there, but still insisted that the reserve should be made. Then Major Brown spoke about £1,000 takoha, which was to be paid to us. I then heard that this money was to be paid to Okahu. It was for the land the other side of the boundary I mentioned just now, from Onewaia to Te Dene, which was the inland boundary post. We were given notice that this money would be paid at Ngarpngo. That was the second time I heard of it. Some did not agree to take the money, but others did. Te Hre took £300, which was said to be for the portion called Pukaraka. He received all the money; none of the others shared it with him. Piubipi received £150: that was said to be for Tutoia. None of the others received money for this except himself and his own children. Te Wharerata received £200 for Kai-ahiahi. He alone consumed this money. Hone Whakapau received £150 for the piece between Waingongoro and Patea. There now remains £200 on the purchase-money. I wish the Commissioners to look into the papers and see the names of those men I have mentioned. When the land was about to be surveyed, Patoe was brought down. He was one of those who were called upon to show the line. The first man brought it down to the Mountain Boad. When they reached the Mountain Road they were in some confusion what to do; and then Tukarangatai took charge of the direction of the line iu order to bring it down seaward towards Onewaia. When it came down to Onewaia I came forward with Kaitana. Kopekope and Maraukuku then came forward to direct the boundary that it should go along the road to Araukuku. I then said to Tukarangatai that it should be brought to Onewaia as the starting-point. The boundary line branched off. This diversion was caused by myself and some half-castes. They were half Araukuku and half Kanihi. The reason we did this was on account of the takoha money which was awarded. The Okahu people declined to receive any money. The reason why we altered the boundaries was in order that the acreage should be increased, and that consequently we might receive a larger sum as takoha. I was the cause of sending some of my people to carry out this new line in order to enlarge the block. I told Major Brown and Hone Pihama that I would not take takoha. I had no wish to receive money, but rather that I should receive land as compensation. Now, I say that it will be for you, the Commissioners, to consider as to whether the line should be restored to the original line of the Natives, in order that the number of acres between Araukuku and Tangahoe may be ascertained, and any mistake prevented hereafter. 226. The Commissioners: We shall consider what has been said, but there is one word we shall answer at once. We have listened very carefully to the statement made about Waukena, and shall investigate the original map at New Plymouth, lest you should lose even so small a piece as 20 acres; and again, in the Whareroa Beserve, we shall see you are not going to lose any land there. Now, Katene says two things : Pirst, that it was well known and agreed to by everybody that the reserve spoken of by Major Brown should be 10,000 acres; secondly, he said afterwards that, on his own account, he cut a new line to increase the quantity of ground. Now, consider whether it is just to be so eager not to lose 20 acres at Waukena, while you grasp 6,000 acres elsewhere. The Commis- • sioners mean to apply one rule, not two. They mean to stand upon the decisions which were originally made. They will not consent to take away any land, but they will not allow land to be taken away by yourselves. This is not a final word, because we shall have to inquire into the matter further; but we say at once that it is just as wrong for the quantity agreed to by Major Brown to be increased without the knowledge and sanction of the Government, as it would be for the Government to take away land already granted to the Natives. And now the question must be left for us to quietly consider. There is another word the Commissioners have to say about the 700-acre reserve spoken of yesterday. We telegraphed to the various officers at New Plymouth and Wellington to ascertain whether these 700 acres were set aside finally by the Government at the time. At first it was thought that there had not been any final settlement of that original reserve; but, on looking again through the Government Gazette, it has been found that there was a Proclamation made in October, 1875, wherein it appears that those 700 acres had been reserved for the benefit of the Native owners of the land; but the exact position of the 700 acres was not defined. Now, what the Commissioners have to do is to see how that Gazette notice affects the case, and therefore it must be left for us to quietly consider. There is also some complaint about fishing-places, which the Commissioners understand were to be three. Major Brown has told the Commissioners that Hone Pihama asked for a reserve of two or three chains in width along the sea-shore to be made. ' The Commissioners do not apprehend any difficulty in arranging the matter, provided it does not interfere with the rights of Europeans who have lands and are already settled there. We are also unable now to say anything about the land between high-water and low-water mark. That must be left for us to consider when we come back from Taranaki. Captain Wray, District Land Officer, examined. 227. Ttie Commissioners.] The first point, Captain Wray, that we want to ask you about is this : A. statement has been made by the Natives that a reserve called Waukena, containing 420 acres, has been reduced to 400 acres. Can you give us any information about that?—So far as I know, that reserve has always, been 400 acres. It is entered as such on my list. [Captain Wray here handed in a plan to show that the reserve was originally intended as a fishing village for the Natives.] It was ordered to be surveyed as 400 acres, and was, so far as I know, so surveyed; and I never heard it referred to as containing more than the 400 acres. 228. In what year was it surveyed ? —The surveys were made in 1866, and no change has been made that I am aware of. I think I should have known had there been any alteration. I remember the time the reserve was surveyed ; and you can see by the disposition of the land that no alteration could have been made. 229. We see that no alteration has been made in the original survey of 1866 and 1867, and we see no reason to make any alteration now ; indeed, the Natives themselves ask to have the original survey maintained. The next point complained of is, that there was a reserve at the mouth of the Tangahoa Biver, which was originally 100 acres, but which, it is alleged, has been reduced by 40 acres, thus leaving the reserve only 60 acres; but we find that the question of the 60 acres will have to be inquired 3—G. 2.