a.—4

10

admits the statements of applicant to be correct. Captain Porter deposes as to proportions of money paid to the Ngatiporou in lieu of their respective shares—namely, principal chiefs, £50; sub-chiefs, £20 ; and minor chiefs, £10. In addition to the above, Eapata Wahawaha, the principal leader of the Ngatiporou, for general services, got a grant of land in Patutahi. From papers handed in I gather that Ngatiporou received at the rate of about 10s. per acre. I consider, as shown by the evidence (which was admitted to be correct), that Henare Tomoana, as leader of the Ngatikahuhunu, is deserving of special consideration. I have therefore recommended that the chiefs and men hereafter mentioned be granted, out of Patutahi lands or Crown lands adjacent thereto, or out of any available lands in the Poverty Bay District, land of fair average quality, having due regard to proportions of fiat and hilly country, the several acreages indicated opposite the name of each claimant—namely : Henare Tomoana, 150 acres; Muhana Takihi, 50 acres ; Manaena Tini, 50 acres; Pene te Uamaerangi, 50 acres; Urupeni Puhara, 50 acres ; Ihakaxa Whakato, 25 acres ; Hori Maka, 15 acres; Hemi Urangi, 15 acres; Te Tura Whangai, 15 acres ; Aperana Ahuriri, 15 acres: total, 435 acres. Given under my hand and seal this 13th day day of October, 1882. Henby T. Claeke, Commissioner.

Gisborne, 23rd October, 1882. Covet of Inquiry opened at 10 a.m. in the Government Buildings. Present: H. T. Clarke, Esq., Commissioner; Mr. S. Locke, acting on behalf of the Government ; and John Brooking, Licensed Interpreter, acting as interpreter. Henare Tomoana requested that his case be not called until to-morrow, as he did not feel well enough after landing from the steamer to go on with it to-day. Commission Court adjourned until 2 p.m. Court opened at 2 pan. At 4 p.m. Court adjourned until 10 a.m. to-morrow.

Tuesday, 24th October, 1882. Commissioneb's Court opened. Present and place the same. Henare Tomoana, being sworn, stated : lam a chief of Ngatikahungunu. I was the first officer sent here with Ngatikahungunu by Sir Donald McLean at the time of the fighting on the East Coast; I was the leader of them at that time. We were engaged at Makaretu and Patutahi; two of the enemy were killed at Patutahi. We pursued the Hauhaus previously to this, with Colonel Whitmore, to Euakituri and fought them there. I went with Meiha Eapata to Te Papuni, and Te Kooti came to Turanga in our absence. I was directed by Sir Donald McLean to return from Te Papuni to Ngatapa, which was then invested. Ngatapa fell whilst I was at Te Papuni; this was the last of the fighting here. About 18691 was requested to go to Taupo ; I found Colonel Herrick at Eunanga with two hundred men. We made arrangements between us as to course of action. The part of the.se arrangements that I remember was that if I met the Hauhaus I was not to engage them, but to return and obtain the assistance of the Militia under Colonel Herrick. I met Te Kooti at Tauranga, Taupo. When he was about five miles off I sent an orderly to inform Colonel Herrick. A fight took place on that day. When he approached within two miles of our position I sent another messenger to Colonel Herrick. After Te Kooti had opened fire on us I sent another European to Colonel Herrick. When the first two persons I sent reached Colonel Herrick they were not believed, and no ammunition was sent us. I have heard that the reason was that Colonel Herrick would not allow it to be sent. (My reason for going into these details is to show that, in my opinion, the Government did not do us justice with regard to the Taupo expedition.) We held our position there against Te Kooti for two days and one night, and then Te Kooti retired. After two days we went to Tokano. After the fight was over Colonel Herrick came up, and also Colonel McDonnell, from Whanganui side. All the Taupo people assembled and joined us at Tokano. After we had been there a week Te Kooti again attacked us and was defeated and had five killed; a chief on the side of the Government called Maniapoto was also killed. A chief .of the enemy called Wi Piro was .killed there. We waited a week for the people to assemble to attack Porere, Te Kooti's position ; this pa fell, and Te Kooti's people were scattered in the forest. Two chiefs on the side of the Government wtere killed there, Captain St. George and Komine. This was the last occasion on which I was requested by Sir Donald McLean to act. We left Napier to go on the expedition I have described on the Ist August. We were about sixty-four days, as near as I can remember, on the expedition. We were not paid by the day, but got a lump sum—£3 odd per man. I sent a petition to the Government that this matter should be considered, that was not entertained. The first time I was requested by Sir Donald McLean to come here it was for the purpose of acting as a guard for the barracks; I brought sixty men with me from Napier, and got sixty others at Nukutaurua : I arrived with one hundred and twenty-three men. After I had been here two days two hundred more men came from Napier at my request to Sir Donald McLean. We assembled at Patutahi three hundred, which was made up to four hundred by Ngaitahupo and Turanga people. By the Com?nissioner : We were promised that Ngaitahupo, and other tribes who assisted the Government, should receive a portion of Patutahi. According to the arrangement made, I think that the Government were to have five thousand acres, and the people going under the name of Ngatikahungunu five thousand acres ; but lam not certain. There was a proposal made by the old chiefs of Ngatikahungunu to hand "back to the Turanga Natives that portion of Patutahi which was allotted to them. ' The Government disapproved of this, and proposed that they should be paid money. One of the chiefs of Ngatiporou, at the meeting at Waiohiki, proposed that their share of Patutahi should be made a reserve for educational purposes —for the education of their children. This was Hotene Parourangi. Sir Donald McLean approved of that suggestion. Ngatikahungunu received some money. I objected to my own people accepting any, but subsequently permitted them