15

G.-3

Ihaia Tioriori, sworn —I am a Ngatikoroki; I claim this land; Ngatiraukawa owned the land formerly ; Ngatipaoa and Hauraki Tribes fought with us and also with Ngatiraukawa ; we left Horotiu, and Ngatipaoa took possession; we went to Eangiaohia and Maungakawa; Ngatiraukawa went to Wharepuhunga; I came from Eangiaohia to Maungakawa; Ngatiraukawa went to Te Whaotu; Ngatimaru and Ngatipaoa followed Ngatiraukawa; Te AVhatakaraka and Te Hereara were killed; Ngatiraukawa then went away to Kapiti. The land was taken possession of by Ngatimaru and Hauraki Tribes; after Ngatiraukawa went away, Ngatimaru and Ngatipaoa fought with us; we were defeated twice ; Ngatipaoa left Horotiu and took possession of Maungatautari; they then attacked us at Maungakawa and we defeated them; they then came back and killed some of us who were living at Hamilton ; w re afterwards attacked and defeated them. After this Te Waharoa joined us, and we defeated Ngatimaru at Taumatawiwi; Ngatimaru and Ngatipaoa were then led back to Hauraki; we took possession of the land after this, i.e., our own lands at Horotiu, and Ngatiraukawa's land at Maungatautai, and we have held possession to the present time, i.e., Ngatikoroki and Ngatihaua have. Some time ago Te Waharoa and other chiefs invited Ngatiraukawa to return and leave Kapiti. Their answer was, "He aha te ngako ote oneone kia hoki mai Ngatiraukawa;" they did not accept tho invitation. By Paeakaia —Ngatiraukawa were invited to come back ; they did not accept the invitation ; they said "He aha te ngako, &c." I had the sovereignty over the land when the Queen came here; I have heard that the Government invited the Maoris to give in claims for their lands, but your claim must be for your own land ; this land is mine. Piripi Whanatangi, sworn —I am of Ngatikoroki; I know the land Pukekura ; Pukekura is one hill, Maungatautari is another; Pukekura is a small hill, Maungatautari is a large one ; Pukekura was taken by conquest; in that time there was no talk of relationship or giving the land back; after I had conquered I occupied and held the land by force of arms. I did not hear of these expressions, " hawe kaehe," and " whenua tuku kite tangata ;" Hauraki, i.e., Ngatimaru and Ngatipaoa took this land ; there was no word then as " hawe kaehe," or " whenua tuku kite tangato ;" I fought with those tribes ; Taumatawhiwhi'was the last battle ; I defeated Ngatimaru and Ngatipaoa, and took possession of the whole district; the only claim I acknowledge is that by conquest. By Paeakaia—Te Wera-o-te-Atua and other places you mention at Maungatutari are mine by conquest; when you came from the South you found me living at Maungatautari; Ngatikahukura have residences there as well as myself. Aperahama Tv, Te Rangipouri, sworn —I am a Ngatihaua; I live at Taupo, I went there on account •of my wife; I know this land, Pukekura; the proper owners are Ngatihaua, Ngatikoroki, and Ngatikahukura, but not Ngatiraukawa ; it belonged to Ngatikauwhata and Ngatiraukawa formerly ; my ancestors fought with Ngatiraukawa, and took Eangiaohia and one side of Maungatautari; Ngatiraukawa went to AVharepuhunga; Kawhia belonged to Te Eauparaha; we took it, and he went to Kapiti; the Ngatiraukawa heard of this, they were at Te Whaotu; after this Ngapuhi came ; and Ngatimaru and other tribes of Hauraki came here from fear of Ngapuhi; they lived here ; they killed one of us called Te Hou; we went to Maungakawa, and this place we are now upon was taken by Ngatimaru ; Ngatimaru killed the AVhakaete ; Ngatiraukawa lived at Purakanui; Ngatimaru attacked them, Te AVhatakaraka was killed; Ngatiraukawa then remembered that Te Eauparaha had taken Kapiti, and they went there to join him ; Ngatimaru then took possession of the whole district. We came from Maungakawa to Pukekura to attack Ngatimaru, and fought them at Hauwhenua ; W6 were defeated, and lost thirty men ; we attacked them afterwards and defeated them; they fought us afterwards and we defeated them at Te Kaweitiki, at Maungakawa : they then returned to Maungatautari •. on their return they killed some of our people who were living where Cambridge now stands, they killed, cooked, and eat thirty of our people ; Te Wahoroa and other chiefs of AVaikato then joined us ; we attacked them at Taumatawiwi, and utterly defeated them, we cooked and eat them ; the remnant who were saved were led back to Hauraki; after this we took possession of the whole district. By Paeakaia —The defeats I have mentioned, Ngatimaru inflicted on you; you have won a battle of them; our ancestors fought, but we personally have not fought with each other; Ngapuhi came to kill us all; Waikato were defeated by Ngapuhi; we were defeated by Ngapuhi, and fell back on Ngatiraukawa; the reason was that we were at peace with Ngatiraukawa at that time ; Ngatihaua, Ngatikoroki, and Ngatikaukura own Tauaro, Eaupekapeka, Tapae, Hauwhenua, AVera-o-te-Atua, and Pukekura, from conquest. Nepia Marino, sworn —I live at Maungatautari; lam a Ngatikoroki; I know the land in question ; I have no claim from my forefathers ;my claim is my arm; I have heard claims made to this land through other channels, but the only one I recognize is conquest. Te Tira Te Kono, sworn—l am a Ngatihaua ; [ live at Tamahere ; I know Pukekura, I have a claim to that land from my forefathers, and by conquest; My ancestor was Kauwhata-—Kuri was a descendant of his, from whom sprung Ngatikuri; my principal claim is conquest; the forefathers lived in time gone by, but the conquest is of recent date, and it is only now that the Court is opened that I consider that the matter will be settled ; and I shall be awarded my land. Hone Te One, sworn —I am a Ngatihaua and Ngahikairo; my ancestors lived at Ngaroto ; I have not lived at Pukekura; Ngatiraukawa owned tho land formerly, along with Ngatikauwhatu, but now it belongs to me; my talk is the same as the others; Ngatiwhakatere, Ngatiraukawa, and Ngatikauwhatu were defeated by Ngatimaru, and went to Kapiti, and the land was held in possession by Ngatimaru; we defeated Ngatimaru, and now Ngatihaua and Ngatikoroki hold the mana over tho the whole district; the whole of the land from Maungatautari has been taken from Ngatiraukawa; I live at one end, and Ngatihaua live at the other. By Paeakaia —We fought against each other until you left for Kapiti; I went to Taupo and came back ; I was driven away by Ngapuhi; you did not bring me back to my land ; my mana I still hold over all the land outside the Government boundary, Ngatiraukawa owned the land formerly, but I hold possession of it at the present time.