a.—7

36

Hoani Warama (No. 26) will be struck out, because she died at the Chatham Islands and was not here at the time of Mr. Richmond's promise. Te Ipuwhai (No. 27) is disallowed because he is in the Wai-iti Reserve. Te Hemara (No. 28) is disallowed because he has received scrip. Piripi: Mateneruta (No. 29) is dead. He went to the Chatham Islands, came back, and died at Urenui, and left no children. Mateneruta (No. 29) and Rangiua (No. 30) are descended from Miriama Rangiua, who had four children —Rangitotohu (No. 31), Te Warengaro (No. 32), Pohiria (No. 33), and Rangiua Kuae (No. 34). The Commissioner: These four children will therefore get 2 acres each. Rangiua (No. 34) is dead, and she should be succeeded to by her children—Potahi Pauira, Te Ata Pauira, and Tipo Pauira. Pohiria (No. 33) is dead, and, "as the witness cannot supply the names of the children, the 2 acres which have been placed against his name must stand as being for the children oi Pohira. Mateneruta is dead, and his share should be succeeded to by Okio Kinga and Pukere, and they will get 4 acres each, thus Nos. 31 and 34 are disposed of by awards given to them as being successors to Rangiua (No. 30). Piripi then gave the genealogies of Nos. 35 to 44 on his list. The Commissioner: Nos. 35 to 37 will be struck out, as they have an award. No. 38 will be struck out, as he is in the West Coast Settlement Reserve at Urenui. Piripi stated that Ketu (No. 39) lived here, went to the Chathams, came back, and died before the Commission sat in 1884. He could not trace the genealogy, but the claimant was a Ngatimutunga, and fought at Motunui against Waikato in 1823. Mr. Skinner stated that this information was correct. The Commissioner: Te Atu Kahurangi (No. 40) is struck out because she is the mother of Te Arahu (No. 43), whose successors are recommended for a share. Piripi: Te Arahu married a Ngapuhi woman, and she had, amongst other children, a daughter named Ngakina, who married Piripi te Aho. She died and left five children —Ngatiki, Hinganga, Muwhare, Te Ara, and Ngakina. The Commissioner: Mac (No. 41) is dead, and left no issue. The Native Land Court awarded his share in the West Coast Settlement Reserve at Urenui to Piripi te Aho's children. Mr. Skinner: There is no objection to Piripi's children having 16 acres divided amongst them. 'The Commissioner: Very well. We will not consider Ketu, as he is dead, and his descendants are under consideration; the one share that 1 will recommend to Mac and Rite (Nos. 41 and 42) is succeeded to by Piripi's children. The Commissioner: Te Arahu (No. 43) is disallowed, as she was living in the North and was not a party to Mr. Richmond's award. Piripi: Neta (No. 44) is alive. She came here when Mr. Richmond's promise was made. The Commissioner: Well, Neta will get 16 acres. Piripi: If there is any award given me I should much prefer it being land instead of in money. The Commissioner: We will now take the supplementary list No. 14, handed by Te Tipi on behalf of Kapinga Makareta (McClutchie). Te Tipi was then sworn, and stated that he was authorised to appear on behalf of Kapinga, who was in the hospital. The Commissioner: All these first seven on the list— i.e., Nos. 1 to 7—are children of Herewini. Is he alive? Te Tipi: No; he died many years ago in the Chathams, and his name does not, therefore, appear on the list. Nos. Ito 7 are all dead; the greater part of them died in Taranaki, after they returned from the Chathams, with the exception of Epiha (No. 3), who went back to the Chatham Islands. Te Amio (No. 1) has children. Nos. 2 to 7 have no children. Te Amio married a man named Coffey and left two children. The whakapapa of those appearing on List 14 was then made out. The Commissioner: The proper person to succeed No. 1 would be Ngawhakaangi and Tahana Takiroa. Te Tipi: Te Rauroa (No. 2) died at Mimi after the remigration from the Chathams about 1870. Epiha (No. 3) returned to the Chathams, and died there about 1880. Himiona (No. 4) died at Mimi in the early eighties. Te Apimana (No. 5) died at Urenui before the Commission sat. Rihi (No. 6) died at Ngapuhi before the Commission sat. Arapata (No. 7) died at Urenui before the Commission sat. I therefore consider that each one was entitled to 16 acres. Mr. Skinner: I think that these claims should be carefully looked into, as it seems very strange that the West Coast Commission should have passed over so many names whose descendants were here at the time that the Commission sat. Te Tipi: I consider that without doubt these come under the heading of absentees. Mr. Skinner: I am not prepared on the spur of the moment to raise any objections. Th_ olaims appear at first sight to be genuine, but it seems that the seven persons in question died before the Commission sat, and it seems very strange that no one took any trouble to urge the claims of their successors. The Commissioner: How old is Ngawhakaangi? Te Tipi: She is an old woman, and has grandchildren. Mr. Skinner: I do not object to claims if they are genuine, but I would like you to look into the matter fully. The Commissioner: lam not quite satisfied. These people seemed to have got land. Did not this woman, Ngawhakaangi, get land? Te Tipi: Yes, in a reserve. The Commissioner: All these people were dead before the Commission sat. Well, can you explain how it was that when they looked after their own shares the descendants did not put hi ulaims as successors?