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that Mr. Atkinson was here acting for the Government. I have heard that Mr. Graham acted on behalf of the Natives. The impression on my mind is that I have heard that an arrangement was made in 1869, which I think was a deed of cession. I believe that Hirini te Kani did sign, and I also believe that my brother did not sign. lam sure that I did not. By the Commissioner : I am not aware that the Government issued a notification extinguishing the Natiye title to the ceded block. I never saw a Gazette containing it. The evidence I referred to as having been given before Judge Eogan on the 12th March, 1877, referred principally to another block, but also referred to this matter now under inquiry. I also, in my previous applications, referred to a claim of Eewi te Eke's in the same block. I will call Era Takihi. Eru Takihi, sworn : lam called Eru Takihi. I belong to Ngaiteaweawe and reside at Oweta. I know the land called Tapatohotoho. Wharepirau was the ancestor who owned the land ;he is descended from Te Aweawe. I heard you repeat the names of the descendants of Wharepirau; it was correct. I knew Eapata Whakapuhia; he also was a member of Ngaiteaweawe, but was not a descendant of Wharepirau. His ancestor was Te Iriwhare, the elder brother of Wharepirau. The Iriwhare had no right in Tapatohotoho. The pa belonged to Wharepirau. The plantations on that land belonged to Wharepirau, and have descended to his descendants down to the present time. By Mr. Locke : I was here when Te Kooti arrived here. I have heard of a deed of cession having been made. I never saw it or heard it read. I was here at the time the deed was made. Ido not know the boundaries mentioned in that deed. I have heard of a Court sitting here at which an arrangement was made relative to the Government getting Patutahi. I was not present at the Court. I was living at Oweta. lam an invalid. A great many of the descendants of Te Aweawe are still alive. He lived six or seven generations back. Wharepirau lived five generations back. He was a nephew of Te Aweawe. I think there are ten descendants of Te Wharepirau excluding children. Their names are Hirini te Kani, Eutene Kiwara, Eruera Harete, Henaro Harete, Mihi Pahura, Ihaia Tamaikahakina, and myself, Eru Takihi, also Mita Mataitai, Whio Mataitai, Eawiri te Eke Tauaroa, and Heneituhia. Hana te Hemohaere is dead. These are all the adults, but there are many children. Re-examined by Eruera Harete (E. F. Harris) : There are three generations from Te Wharepirau to Ihaia, who is still living. Mita Mataitai, Whio Mataitai, Eawiri te Eke, and Tauaroa are grand- • children of Hana te Hemohaere. Hiwitukia is a child. By the Commissioner : I have only one name, Eru Takihi. I never had another. Hoani Burn, sworn: I belong to the Ngatimaru Hapu of Eongowhakaata Tribe. I live at Oweta, in Poverty Bay. By Mr. Harete (E. F. Harris) : I was here at the time of the troubles. I know the land called Tapatohotoho and its history. I have heard that Eapata proposed that this land should be given as a site for a barracks, which was opposed by others. No barracks were built there down to the present time. By Mr. Locke: I was here at the time of the troubles. There were several meetings took place after the fighting relative to land being given to the Government. I attended many, and opposed several speakers. There were various arrangements proposed in these meetings. I remember a deed of cession being signed here. The boundaries mentioned in the deed commenced at Turanganui Eiver, and then up the Wairnata to Wakaroa, thence to Tutamoe, thsnce to Maungahaumi, thence to Maungapohatu, thence to Te Eeinga, thence to Whakapunaki, thence to Te Paritu, and back to the mouth of Turanganui. This land was handed over to the Government by the Natives under this deed to protect for them. I only know of one deed signed. I know of many Courts that sat here after the deed was signed. Ido not know if they related to the land in question. I know a Court that sat here, presided over by Judges Eogan and Monro. I remember Mr. Atkinson being here as agent for the Government in 1869. After the fighting at Ngatapa Mr. Atkinson went on with the business in connection with the deed of cession. 1 cannot state what he did. I remember Mr. Graham being here in 1869. I have heard that he acted as agent for the Natives. I was not present at the Court held when Mr. Graham was here. I was in the district at that time. I was well at the time the Court sat, but was busy. Ido not know of any action of the Court which affected Patutahi. By the Commissioner : I signed the deed of cession. T know that a Court sat here in the winter of 1869. I had claims before that Court. Re-examined by Mr. Harris : I believe Mr. Locke was here at the time. Sir Donald McLean was here in 1875. There was a meeting held by Sir Donald McLean and Eongowhakaata relative to disputes about Patutahi, and Mr. Locke was appointed by Sir Donald McLean to inquire into the matters and report upon them. Re-examined by Mr. Locke : I was not one of the persons who went with Mr. Locke on the boundaries of this land. I heard that he went some time after he had been. Henare Turangi went with him. Commission adjourned until 2 p.m. Court resumed at 2 p.m. Paora Parau, sworn: I belong to Ngatikonohi, of Te-aitanga-a-Hauiti Tribe, and live at Turanganui, at Kaiti. By Eruera Harete (E. F. Harris) : I was here at the time of the trouble. I was here at the time a deed was signed purporting to be a deed of cession. Mr. Eislimond, the Minister, and Mr. Atkinson, Eesident Magistrate, asked us to sign the deed on the understanding that the land should be handed over to be protected as against outsiders. I know the land called Tapatohotoho. I know the reason that land was given to the Government. It was for the purpose of a military settlement. No barracks has ever been built upon it. There was a proposal made to cede a portion of land as payment for the guilt of the Hauhaus. I have heard that five thousand acres of Te Muhunga, five thousand acres of Te Arai, and five thousand acres of Patutahi was ceded on that account. A meeting in reference to this was held in the Poho o Eawiri, when the cession was