7

G.—6b

Extract from Whakatane Minute-book No. 8, at Page 337. Whakatane, Ist September, 1905. Gilbert Mair, Judge. Claims 596 and 598—Lot 39a, Parish of Matata (Kawerau), 6,000 Acres.—Application fop. Definition of Relative Interests. Harata Raimona and others, Te Tatihti Kingi and others, applicants. All parties ask the Court to put off this case, as they wish to see whether it is not possible, to put in some of the owners who appear to have been left out of the title. The Court states it will adjourn this case as requested to a future Court. Case adjourned accordingly. 3rd Avenue, Tauranga, 21st April, 1922. Dear Judge Ayson,— Re, Section 39, Matata. This and adjoining lands belonged to the Tawera Tribe, or a section thereof, many of whom joined the rebellion. Indeed, they could hardly do otherwise, through fear of destruction when about 1,400 rebels from the east coast as far south as Tolago Bay overran the country on their way to attack the lakes and Maketu in March, 1864; but when this large force was signally defeated by the loyal Arawa at Te Kaokaoroa and driven back, these people eventually returned to their allegiance, the whole of their lands being included in the; confiscated boundary. Of course, provision would necessarily have been made for them under the provisions of the New Zealand Settlements Acts, but so large an area as 13,675 acres would never have been allocated but for the unswerving loyalty of the ten grantees. The negotiations for sale to the Crown were arranged at a general, meeting of the interested parties held at their settlement on the block, and, as far as I can remember, no protests were ever made. I think it must be conceded that the ten grantees were each selected to represent the individuals comprised in the several sub-hapus of that branch, of the Tawera Tribe. I can testify to the very full notes taken by my late brother as Judge of the Compensation Court, and am sure the minute-books would have shown clearly the individuals represented by each of the ten, but, unfortunately, all these valuable records were destroyed in the Tauranga fire. Some of the selling grantees, I know, divided their share of the purchase-money with relatives ; others did not. Raimona Petera and the other non-sellers unselfishly declared from the very first that they would never sell, as their people had so little land to live on. The shares were made equal. It would therefore seem only fair that in the event of the title to this land being reopened the non-selling grantees shares should be much larger than those of any persons hereafter to be admitted, whose elders had received portions of the purchase-money. Raimona Petera was the leading young chief of these people, and was a most intelligent, upright man. Therefore his statement that the other grantees with himself were merely trustees cannot be lightly overlooked. Yours, &c, Gilbert Mair.

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