W. WATENE.]

15

I.—3a.

42. Well, can you deny the stalement made by your father, William Tautari, where he mentioned the names of the chiefs, Whatarangi, Uruamo, Nopera, and. others?—That is right: they were. 43. Now, the lands of the Uruamo family which you say were at Kaipara—what part of Kaipara were they situated in ? —Hiorekata. 44. There were other kaingas, were there not? —Ongarahu. 45. Where else?—Muriwai. 46. That has been sold, has it not?—Yes; Muriwai was sold. 47. By whom was it sold—was it by the Uruamo family? Who were they?—Hori Winiata. 48. AYere you not one of the sellers? —I was. 49. Who owns the Ururua Block now? You say those were the lands which the Uruamo family held. Why did you put them out of Orakei—was it because they owned those lands? Do you not know that I know perfectly well as I stand here to-day who are the owners of that Ururoa Block? Of course, you do. Are the Rewetis, Wharepouri, Apihai, and Hori Winiata, and a portion of Hori Winiata's interest was awarded to you, as one of his successors, and you sold it?—Yes. 50. Now, will you tell me how many acres the Uruamo family owned in the Ururua Block : had they 1 acre, half an acre, a quarter of an acre, or none at all?—Somewhere about 60 acres. 51. I am asking about the Ururoa, not Ongarahu?—But they are two separate blocks. 52. Now lam asking about Ururua. Well, now, how many acres would the Uruamo family get in the Ururua Block?—Sixty-six. 53. Does that 66 acres represent, one share, or is it 33 acres in one share? —33 acres. 54. And how many shares in a block altogether?—Fifteen. 55. And is the whole of that fifteen shares property of the Uruamo family?—lt is the property of the persons who were arranged to be the owners. 56. That is the descendants of the people?—Yes. 57. Well, then, the Tuperiri's : where is the permanent block belonging to the Uruamo family? at Kaipara; and for that reason you keep them out of the Orakei Block?—Hiorekata. 58. Do you know the permanent history of that block —do you know who it originally belonged to ?—I do not. •' 59. It did not belong to Tuperiri, then?—No. 60. Do you not know it belonged to my father Paora Kawharu?—l do. 61. And do you not know that Paora Kawharu gave it to his brothers-in-law ?—I do. 62. Then where is the kainga to which you refer when you state that land had been set aside for the Uruamo family at Kaipara and keep them out of Orakei ? —Pukeatua. 63. All Uruamo's descendants are in there. How many acres does one share of the Pukeatua Block represent?—l do not know; I have forgotten. 64. That land has been sold, has it not? —Part of it sold and part of it will remain unsold. 65. By whom was it sold?—For the persons to whom it was awarded by succession—the descendants of Uruamo and others. 66. Te Taou Hapu, generally speaking. You sold and others sold?—Yes. 67. And it is only our family who still retain their interest?—Yes. 68. Then what kainga is it to which you refer in Kaipara? You state you set apart for the Uruamo family, and therefore you keep them out of Orakei Block?—It was the descendants of Poata Uruamo and others who sold their interests there. 69. Did you not know it was the hapu generally who sold their interests? Pukeatua sold his mterest,_ and I am the only one retaining mine. I want to know whether the land is in Kaipara which you state was set apart for Uruamo and his family, and if that is the reason you keep them out of the Orakei Block ? —I cannot answer that question". 70. You say that you did not hear the old people at the time of the first hearing in 1868-69 stating the rights of Uruamo—of conferring rights upon them in Orakei Block?—I did not 71. At the time of hearing of succession of Hori Winiata (deceased) did you not appear in Court to oppose my case, and you opposed it in this way : that it was through the arrangement made by Paora Tuhaere and the chiefs that Uruamo and his family were kepfout of the block at the time of the first hearing; and that for that reason you stated to the Court at the time of the application for succession for the interest of Hori Winiata, the proper successors to Hori Winiata were the twelve and a half grantees. Then the Court asked vou this question—did not the Court say this to you : " Seeing that Paora Tuhaere and the other chiefs at the time of the first hearing* committed a wrong in keeping the Uruamo family out, do vou not think it would be right for you now to follow up and substantiate that wrong?" Should vou not reply to that Court that it was not your evidence to follow up that wrong, and therefore to withdraw your case—that is you withdraw your claim that the whole of the other twelve successors should be included?—That is what I said. 72. Mr. F. H. Smith.] Was the witness there at the petition in 1869?—Yes 1868 and 1869---r ™IWI'1 Wl ' hIS father was the man who gave the evidence in 1868. In what year did he die? —in 1884:. 74. The witness was not one of the original grantees :it was the father?—My name William Watene, is in the Crown grant. ' 75. And your father was also in the Crown grant?—Yes, and my uncle. 76. It is evident to me that they had three shares?—Yes. 77 Otene Paora.] Well, the boiling-down of the thing is this : You originally opposed mv claim for succession to Hon Winiata and claimed your people should be put in, and eventually withdrew that claim. Because of the Court cross-examining you vou withdrew your claim Ihe Court asked you so many and such strong questions that vou saw your error sat down'