G.—2.

44

the day of my death. But Komene brought it over, and came and lived there. When we went over with Blake, Komene, and the rest, Blake pointed out the spot on which we were to have our place. But the line inland has not been pointed out; the lower one has been. It is on account of Komene having let the land that the other party are now asking, " Where are the 1,000 acres that were given to us?" 616. The Commissioners : That is exactly the confusion. There were 1,000 acres promised, and what Taurua says is quite right: the back boundary has never been settled. That is the question which has to be determined, and we cannot determine it now. All that we can say is this: The 1,000 acres have to be found; Komene's place has to be left in it; and then the question of the lease that Komene has granted has to be settled with Mr. Gower. All those things are now in confusion, and they must be decided before we can make any settlement of the dispute. 617. Komene said : I wish to speak about Tetai, Whakapahauri, and Whareoneone, and also Kukupari. The two former places are in Okahutiria, and Whareoneone is at Whenuakura. They are sacred places. 618. The Commissioners : These are new purchases, which you must settle with the Civil Commissioner. Major Brown will give directions to have these small places surveyed as burial-grounds; but you must not think that they will be made into a large reserve. 619. Komene : I have another word to say. It is about the eel-weir down below my place, called Aratuketuke. A portion of it is in the land which Mr. Gower is holding. I wish to have a portion of it. 620. The Commissioners : That is also a new thing, which must be left to be settled by the Civil Commissioner. 621. Komene: lam now going to talk about Waiatarua, on the sea-coast. I want Waiatarua to be returned to me : all the eel ponds and lakes that are there, down as far as Karainu : that is, to the stream called Wairoa, which goes down from Wairoa to the sea. I wish the whole of the land on that place that is not alienated to the Europeans, to be returned to me. I wish the boundary on the southern side to meet the one that Ngarauru asked for at Waitotara. 622. The Commissioners: With respect to that, we cannot say anything final just yet. But there is some Government land there, and Alajor Brown thinks it likely that he may be able to make such an arrangement as will allow the eel-weir to be secured to you.

At Caelyle, Tuesday, 30th Maech, 1880. 623. Te Kahu said: Ihupuku is the piece of land I wish to speak about. I went to Wellington about this land, and spoke to Mr. Sheehan, Major Brown, and Mr. Williams about it, and pointed out the boundaries, which are as follow: Erom the mouth of the Waitotara (called Paroa) continuing up the banks of the river up to Av.ahuri aud across the Manganui; thence up the Manganui to Waihau (another stream), and along the banks of the Waihau to Otoia; thence back to Paroa, from whence we started. I spoke to Mr. Sheehan about this when I went down, and showed him the boundaries. There are 860 acres in the block. When I was in Wellington I asked that these 800 acres should be given to me. Air. Sheehan asked me how many Europeans were settled on the land. I replied that there were two Europeans on it, but that I did not allow them to go there; but that there was a third person, whom I did allow to go upon the land. Mr. Sheehan asked the name of this person. I told him that Charles Drury was the name of the person I placed on the land. The other two persons are named Wilkie and William Brewer. Mr. Sheehan said, " Alajor Brown will look into this and settle it." M'ajor Brown did not come up, as promised ; and when Mr. Sheehan came up a second time, I applied to him again. Now I apply to the Commissioners to give me back that land, the boundaries of which I have just described. 624. The Commissioners^] What you say is not quite clear to us. Did you ask Air. Sheehan for new land, or was it for a reserve which had been already settled ?■ —500 acres at Ihupuku, and 500 at Botikiarehua were promised me by Sir Donald McLean. 624a. This is quite new to us, and the matter must be allowed to remain until we sec what Sir Donald McLean's statement was. When we go down to Wellington we will find out what promise Sir Donald McLean really did make to you; but you must not ask for anything more than that promise. Nothing new must be asked for. 625. Taurua said : When we were at Wanganui, after having been brought back by Sir Donald McLean, he invited us into the house to speak with him. Those present were myself, A perahama, Pehimana, Mohutonga, Komene, Ngairo, Te Bangihaeata, and Hone Pihama. When we went into the house Sir Donald McLean said, "We are going to put you back on your land. There will be a reserve for you at Mokoia of 6,000 acres, 2,800 acres at Manutahi, 117 acres at Taumaha, 2,000 acres at Otauto; for the people of Whenuakura, 1,000 acres; for the people of Ngarauru tribe living at Waitotara, 2,000 acres." I will now stop speaking, as I have explained the way in which Sir Donald McLean promised the lands to which Te Kahu has referred. 626. The Commissioners: There has always been a great deal of confusion about the reserves made at that time, because they were mixed up between, what Sir Donald McLean said and what Mr. Worgan did ; and we have told you several times that it is impossible for us to say anything until we have examined all the papers relating to what Mr. Worgan did. All that has been said here has been written down, and will be looked at in connection with the promises said to have been made, and then we shall be able to say what our decision will be. The promises you have just brought under our notice are not so clear to us as Mokoia, Taiporohenui, and others about which no disputes have arisen. This is why the papers connected with these promises must be examined. 627. Ihaka Takarangi said: Tutuhia is the name of the piece of land I want to speak about. It extends from Parekawau to Okahu Stream. The land has been taken by strange tribes: by the Ngatiruanui, Ngatiawa, and Whanganui. 628. The Commissioners.] When was this reserve marked out and given to you, because if it was not reserved before we cannot go into it now ? —Wakarua will answer.