E—No. 1

MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS,

MISCELLANEOUS'

more troops; gave orders for calling out the militia; returned to provide for the defence of Auckland; t postponed the meeting of the General Assembly; and issued circulars to various Native Chiefs, as well 9 as men of lower rank throughout the Colony, inviting them to assemble at Auckland, and consult with hini about the state of the country. Am I wrong in assuming that all these acts plainly indicate his entire ignorance of the nature of the step he was taking when he began hostilities this autumn at Taranaki? But this ignorance admits of no excuse, because there are men in the Colony who did from the first actually predict some of the worst consequences of his rashness, and who "still forsee much that will necessarily follow. [In " Wellington Spectator," Nov. 1860.]

Archdeacon Hadfield's Letter, 29 May, 1860

xv.— Extracts from Evidence of Akcudeacok Hadfield ai the Bar of the Bouse of Representatives, August, 1860. * Do you know the position of the block of land in dispute at Waitara!—The only difficulty! have in ' answering that question arises from my never having seen the official survey boundaries. It has been described as a block of land containing about 600 acres situated on the south bank of the Waitara; this land I have seen and been over; but Ido not know the precise boundary line of the Government. It is three years since I was on the land. Can you state who were the owners of that block of land previous to the present dispute ?—I will state what I have heard on the subject. I have direct information from persons stating that they are claimants to that land, and lam only giving my opinion on that information. I have no hesitation in saying that the land belongs to that portion of the Ngatiawa tribe, of which William King is the chief. This portion of Ngatiawa is divided into four hapus, namely—Ngatikura, Ngatiuenuku, Ngatihinga, and Ngatituaho, who have principally resided at Waitara since 1348 under William King. With regard to the block of 600 acres (apart from the tribal right as represented by William King,) I have been informed (speaking within the mark,) that there are a hundred claimants who assert rights to that land, it having been the land of their ancestors, and having been in ages past, in some parts at least, defined by stone marks. I know the names of a number of claimants. I could quote a great number. lam prepared to prove that there are a hundred persons now at living Waikanae, Port Nicholson, Queen Charlotte's Sound, and Massacre Bay, having valid claims. On what authority do you state that there are 90 claimants on the Block at Waitara and only 10 or II claimants consenting!—AVhat I have now stated on this subject rests on the assertion of others. lam here as an unwilling witness in the case before the House, unprovided with direct proof. 1 am but a secondary witness. I have founded my convictions upon statements made to me by the Natives themselves—bat Ido not know what is considered conclusive to the Committee. I am unable to state to the Committee all the grounds on which I have formed opinions. Ido not know whether I fully understood the question. Is William King one of the ninety!—l have before stated that tha right of the tribe extends over the whole of that block, therefore he is one of the claimants. Has William King ever made a proprietary claim !—I hear that he made a proprietary claim to a portion of the block. It would be impossible for me to say what it is, as I understood that the boundaries of the block are undefined. I have heard that about sixty acres, on the south bank, had been left out as belonging to William King. It is utterly impossible for me to state, without the boundaries being defined, what portion of his claim is within the block and what without it. His son has a claim within the block. What proof have you that Hamere Ngaia has a claim on the block ?—I before stated that lam unable to produce all the evidence which I have had, but I may state to the Committee that an old man, who resided at Waitara forty years, pointed out to me, when I was at Waikanae, portions of the land which belonged to William King. Several other Natives confirmed that statement. Are you aware whether any act of ownership was ever exercised by the Waikato upon the block !-— Certainly none that I acknowledge to be an act of ownership. Do you know of any Waikato Native, except Peketah', who lived at Waitara ?—I do not know that any other lived there, in such a sense as to establish a title. Are you acquainted with the details of negociations for land in the New Plymouth district since the disallowance of Spain's Award !—I have read the documents laid on the table of the House, and have heard a good deal, but, living 200 miles from the spot, I could not say that I was acquainted with the details. Of whom was the Bell Block bought!— Principally, I believe, from returned slaves from Waikato, so I have been informed. Of whom was the Hua Block bought!—l do not Know. Of whom was the Tarurutangi bought!—l do not know. To what hapus of the Ngatiawa do Riwai Te Ahu, Hohepa, and the Waikanae claimants belong !— Riwai belongs to Ngatikura and Ngatihinga; the other claimants belong to the same hapu. Did William King receive any payment for Mangati or Bell Block!—I don't know whether he did or not. You say King is the head of four hapus, —where is the Territorial boundary of these four 'hapus ?— I am not acquainted with the boundaries of the land owned by those four hapus, of which William King is

Archdeacon Hadfield's Evidence, at the Bar, August 1860.

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