e—6a

The Tutaekuri river has a depth of about 9 feet from the first bend to Hallet's bend, where it shoals from 7to 4 feet under the Meanee Bridge. The fall from " Hallett's Bend " to the junction with the Lake is 2 feet 39-100 and the fall from Meanee Bridge to the sea will be in an Easterly line about 1 70-100. The " Waiohinganga " or Petane river does not seem to have much influence on the lake; its greatest depth at high water between its confluence with that piece of water and " Villers " is about 8 feet beyond which point it is not much affected by the tide. In floods this river runs out to sea at Petane and the channel running into the Ahuriri Lake is then only practicable for boats when the fresh is at its highest, but at any time that channel carries off but a portion of the waters of this river, as a great quantity of water must necessarily filter through the loose shingle beach, which bars out the sea on the subsidence of the floods. Fourthly, Hawke's Bay between Kidnappers and Waikari. Offers no particular feature, as likely to affect the improvements of Port Napier, worthy of note. The soundings taken by me are materially the same as those taken by Captain Drury 10 years ago, and I am not able to discover any new rocks or shoals or other remarkable alterations as having taken place since that time nor do the frequent shocks of earthquake which have occurred within that period seem to have effected the slightest change in the bottom of the bay. I trust I have succeeded in conveying to the Harbour Commission a clear idea of the present state of our harbour, and that the charts will prove entirely to your satisfaction. I have spared neither time, trouble or expense in this matter, so as to secure as accurate results as possible, nor have I neglected to obtain all available information upon the subject.- Mr. Murray has kindly furnished me with every assistance, both statistical and material, which I have required from him, and I am indebted to him for much valuable information and some practical hints. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your very Obedt. humble Servant, O. L. W. Bousfield, Surveyor. H. S. Tiffen, Esq., Chairman Harbour Commission, Napier. 94. This chart No. 1 therefore does not assist much, although it is useful for comparison with the plan attached to the deed (Appendix A.). 95. The folio whig evidence was given before the Native Land Claims Commission of 1920 : Recorded Minutes of Commission Whanganui-A-Rotu and Puketitiri (contd.) Napier, 13th August, 1920. Present: Pv. N. Jones, Chairman. J. Strauchon l, r , J. Ormsby /Members. H. W. Katene, Clerk & Interpreter. Nepetu Puhara, sworn. Live at Moteo. Am interested in Whanganui-a-Rotu lake. Was born in 1858. My elders told me that it was a fresh water lake and that it was released from time to time by allowing it to flow into the sea. They had cultivations along the shore of the lake. Know present opening. There was an older opening at Keteketerau. Cannot say distance from present block, but it was near Pahou Block. At mouth of Waiohingaanga stream. The new opening was in existence in 1851. It has since been made deeper by dredging. In 1874 I saw workmen digging it. Before the dredging the fish would have been eels, whitebait, pipis and crayfish—all fresh water fish. Since the deepening salt water fish is caught—flounders and other fish. The Natives fished for these fish after the deepening. I claim my elders never intended to dispose of lagoon. They reserved it as a source of maintenance for the Native people. There are pipi banks and they are very plentiful. The reclamation works are covering some of the pipi beds and killing the pipis in other beds. xx by Mr. Grant.'] My elders were Paraone Kuare (my father) and others who told me about the lagoon. The lake rose with the fresh water and covered the plantations. This was flood Avater from Waiohingaanga and Tutaekuri streams. The lake was then the same as now. Was it not that there was an opening which the rough sea sometimes closed, and then it required re-opening ? Yes, at

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