G.—2a

27

Examined by Mr. Marshall: My relatives have lived on this land continuously. Have you not participated in the sales of lands, and also in the adjudication of titles by the Court ?—I have seen no Kahitis for 1868. Where were you in November, 1868 ? —At Kapiti; no notice came to me there. How long before that time did you leave this ?—I had been a long time there before the Court. My friends were living here. Did not your relatives all go with you ?—No, some went with me, and some remained behind. Were your friends recognized as claimants in this land by Ngatihaua? —I do not know. I did not. The lands were falsely named in the Panui (notification), so that we did not recognize it. [Panui examined, and the claim for Maungatautari found.] Are you connected with Ngatikoroki ? —Yes. They are the people of Ngatihaua, with whom we intermarried, but we claim from Tuakere. What tribe was Tuakere ? , Your name is not in the petition ? —No, because I come in under those represented by Manahi Paora. AVhere is Ihakara Ngatahuna ? —Here in Court. Where did he come from to attend this Court ? —He came from Kapiti, for the Court to deal with Rangiaohia. AVhere has he been ever since Ngatimaru were driven away ? —He went to Kapiti, and came back and cultivated here up to the time of the Waikato fight with the Europeans. By the Court: My father was a descendant of Tuakere. He was of Ngatikoroki. My mother was of Ngatitukorehu, from whom Ngatikoroki are descended. Te Ngakau said: May I ask a question ? Did you, the descendants of Tuakere, place the Ngatihaua on this land ? —I do not know Tuakere was my ancestor. Was it through Tuakere that Koroki lived on Maungatautari? —If Ngatihaua are descended from Tuakere, he placed them on it. Give the genealogy, showing the descent of Ngatihaua from Tuakere ? —That is for the Ngatihaua to do. Te Ngakau said: I am a Ngatihaua and Ngatikoroki, and we know of no person called Tuakere. Ngatihaua and Ngatikoroki are one and the same people. [Te Ngakau was told to confine himself to questioning the witness.] Winia (examined by Mr. McDonald): AVhose were the conquests over these lands?—Ours —■ Ngaiterangi, Ngatitukorehu—assisted by Ngatihaua. You said you were Ngatiwehiwehi, what have you to do with Ngatiwehiwehi ?—Ngatiwehiwehi and Ngatikoroki-assisted to conquer; therefore, I say, the conquest was by me. We assisted Ngati. haua. Did you hear that Ngatikauwhata had been driven away ?—I have heard that Ngatihaua said so, but it is incorrect. Ngatikauwhata were a very brave people and able to hold their own. You said that Ihakara is here?—Yes; my uncle Ihakara is here. Examined by the Court: I have not said that any of Ngaiterangi are now living at Maungatautari. Ido not think there are any of them there now Ido not know what became of Ngaiterangi after the fights. I cannot explain who of Ngatihaua became Ngatitukorehu. Ihakara Ngatahuna sworn : I live at Kapiti. I belong to Ngatikauwhata. Winia is my daughter (niece) I have lived at Kapiti since Ngatikauwhata went there. I signed the petition to Parliament. I claimed an interest in Maungatautari in 1868, and still. My claim is through my ancestor Tuakere. The statement by Winia is mine. I heard of the Court here in 1868. I did not come to it because we had a Court at Rangitikei at the same time. The portion of Ngatikauwhata who were living here supported our claims to this land. then. I knew Parakaia. I knew of Parakaia coming here then. I would not come with him. I was waiting for Ngatikauwhata. Parakaia came here to appear on behalf of Ngatiraukawa. There is only a very distant connection between Ngatikauwhata and Ngatiraukawa. They were divided in Tawhiao's time. Ngatiraukawa came from Turou. Ngatikauwhata came from Whatihua ; this was previous to the time of Kaivwhata. I have never lived at Maungatautari. I do not know who were living at Maungatautari. When we went to Kapiti, Ngatikahukura and Ngatihinepare were living there. Ngatimaru were there when I left. I do not know by my own knowledge who were the residents then at Taumatawiwi. I heard that Wiwini (or Murupara or Te Whetowheto) was living there. He was a Ngatikauwhata, I heard that Ngatimaru were living at Maungatautari just before Taumatawiwi. All that I state is by hearsay Ido not know how many of us descendants of Tuakere have lived at Manugatautari. Those who remained intermarried with Ngatihaua. My two sisters married into Ngatikoroki; one married Tioriori; that is all I know about it. It was some time after the battle of Taumatawiwi that I came here with my sisters. I did not bring them, they came here for husbands. I came here and cried with them, and returned home in about a month. I came tw-ice in that way There were no Ngatimaru here then. Ngatikoroki, Ngatikahukura, and Ngatihaua were here then. They cried to me to come back to Manukatutahi. I was living at Piraunui before Taumatawiwi. I was told to come by Manukatutahi because it was a safer route. Had Te AVaharoa and Tamihana been alive now I should have appeared here as I do this day Examined by Mr. McDonald: Ngatimaru and Ngatihinepare were you say living together when you left for Kapiti. AYere they living peaceably ? —Yes. Were Ngatimaru and Ngatihaua fighting before Ngatikauwhata went to Kapiti?—Yes, when Takurua died Ngatikauwhata were at Taupo. AVho was Pohotiraha ? —My oslder brother. Did Pohotiraha go with you to Kapiti ?—No, Pohotiraha was by the same father and mother as I was. He was at Rotorua when I went to Kapiti. Who was Marae Ariki ?—He was a brother of my mother. Where did he live ? —-Marae Ariki lived with Ngatihaua. Did he go to Kapiti ? —No, he died here.