G.—2.

283. Mr. Parris : I must correct Taukoi's statement with respect to the three pieces of land he states have been sold. 284. Taukoi: The portion of Kaurau on the south side of the road was sold openly to Mr. Purdy. The second and third pieces were disposed of secretly. 285. Mr. Parris : The piece that was disposed of to Mr. Purdy was that part of the Kaurau Eeserve on the south of what is called the Huirangi Boad. Mr. Purdy had been advancing money to these men, and it was a long time before I countenanced any sale of the sort. He got the people to interest themselves in his behalf. I wrote a proposal from Uepe to the Government, after I had obtained the consent of the whole of the people, and the understanding arrived at was that they would allow him to sell that piece, but no more. Tbat was the decision of the Natives at that time. Uepe afterwards attempted to sell another piece, on the other side, the side towards the river ; but I interfered and put a stop to it. 286. The Commissioners.] The first was an out-and-out sale, not a mortgage ? —Yes, a complete sale. The purchaser had been advancing, money. Then there was a third attempt to sell, which I believe Major Brown put a stop to. 287. Mnjor Brown : An endeavour was made to sell to a person named Leedham. I knew Mr. Parris's views, and quite agreed with them, that the land belonging to these Natives should not be any further diminished: and I objected to the sale. I appeared before the Native Affairs Committee on a petition of Leedham's, and I believe I was blamed by the Committee for interfering in the matter. That was four or five years ago. There was another case in which Leedham tried to negotiate a sale, but when I inquired into the matter I found that, unless the Pukerangiora Natives had their interest in the land which had not been dealt with, recognized, they would only have 16J acres per individual left. 288. The Commissioners.] Tbe course which Mr. Parris and Major Brown took was quite right. These reserves were made for the support of the tribe, and they must be preserved for the support of the tribe. (To Taukoi) : Have you asked the Government for the grants for the tribe, or is this the first time you have mentioned the matter? —I asked Judge Eenton for them. I wrote to him twice. 289. Did you give the names of the intended grantees ?—No ; I only sent the names of the blocks. I asked for the grants to be given in the name of the tribe, but I received no answer to my letters. 290. Himiona, of Pukerangiora, said : I will not follow what has been said by Taukoi, but I will ask you to give me a Crown grant for the land which was given to me by Mr. Parris at the time that Ngawaipai was sold in the Whakangerengere Block. I asked Mr. Parris to give me the grant, but he said, "I am out of office now; you must ask Major Brown." I then went to Mr. Bennell (clerk to the Civil Commissioner), as Major Brown was absent, and asked him to give me the Crown grant; but he said, "No, I cannot give you the grant." I then said, "What is the use of the land that you gave us?" And I now ask that you will give me the Crown grant. The reserve is a small one, between Te Arei and Pekatu. 291. Mr. Parris: I consented that Himiona should have a piece of land. I said that he should have this piece of land to cultivate, and he said, " Give me the Crown grant." I replied, "I am afraid that if he got the Crown grant he would at once sell the land." His name is on the plan. 292. The Commissioners : When the Crown grant is issued it will contain a stipulation that the land shall not be sold. 293. Himiona .- If this land was given to me for myself by Mr. Parris and Major Brown, why should I not be able to part with it if I wish ? 294. The Commissioners : Would the Civil Commissioner have given you the land to throw away? They gave it to you to keep, and as a place for you to cultivate for yourself and your children. If you throw it away, your children will have no means of support. Will they not come to the Government to be maintained ? —I am only speaking of the piece of land which was given to myself. lam not speaking about the larger blocks. 295. Hotene, of Waitara, said: I have a complaint to make. There is a piece of land inland, atTe Eewawhakapa, about which we are quarrelling amongst ourselves. A. certain number claim the land, and others protest against the claim. I hold that the land belongs to me, but others living outside lay claim to it. I want the Commission to give me this land absolutely. The land is outside the surveyed boundary, and was surveyed by Mr. Skinner for the Maoris. The portions taken away by these people were Kopuapotakaka and Eangitarewa. There is another piece, Eewawhakapa, of which the surveyed boundary was extended inland to a place called Takauwere. 296. Mr. Parris said: In 1866, when the Compensation Court sat, there was a special agreement with the Ngatirahiri, as with other people, to the effect that all their lands should be given back to them, but without individualization, and to be held under the Native custom for the tribe. Some time after, they applied for a surveyor to survey the block of land they considered was theirs. The Government authorized their being supplied with a surveyor, and Mr. Skinner was the surveyor appointed. A party went with the surveyor, and traced what they said were the boundaries of their land. I told these people (the Otaraoa) that some of them should go to see they took the boundary right. I believe that one or tw ro of them did go, but I could not say so for certain. The block of land is shown upon the map, and commences at Titirangi, going on to the sea-coast to Eau-o-te-huia; from there it strikes inland to Onaero Eiver, going up to the Ngatimaru country ; from there it comes back to where they join Otaraoa District, until they came to where it was disputed at Kopuapotakaka. Questions have frequently arisen about the rightful ownership, but nothing has ever been finally decided. 297. The Commissioners : Do you mean that the dispute arose about land situated within the boundary lines on both sides of the Waitara Eiver, which previously were referred to as being set aside for the Natives ? 298. Mr. Parris : Yes. The boundary comes dowrn about the centre of the Tikorangi Settlement. The Natives paid all the expenses of surveying the block. 299. The Commissioners: This is a question where there is a dispute among yourselves with respect to land which has been reserved for you, and which has not been taken by Government; and

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