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731. Can you say whether the practice of the Chief Judge was the practice which you have described ? Was he more or less precise than other Judges ?—I know he was more. lam speaking of my own personal contact with him at the Compensation Court. I never sat with him as Clerk at the Native Land Court, but I have at the Compensation Court; and he was much more punctilious than other Judges. 732. Do you know whether the Chief Judge endeavoured to carry out the Act, of your own knowledge of it ?—Yes; I know it was his desire to administer the Act as far as it was in his power. . 733. Hon. Sir R. Stout.] Would the sending of the Panuis, as you have termed the notice, be entered in your register-book—when they left the Auckland office ? Even if they were sent after the 9th August, that would appear in the register-book as against this block? —Yes, it ought to. 734. If it does not, would you believe that the Panuis were sent?— Yes, I would. I would rather believe in the omission of the entry than the duty by the interpreter to issue the district notices. One would be an absolute fact, and the other simply an omission of duty. Ido not think it would be possible for the circulation of these to fail. 735. This register-book may be inaccurate? —Well, we are all fallible. 736. The notices are in a different handwriting in the register-book?— Yes.

Monday, 12th July, 1886. Hieaka te Bango was examined. 737. The Chairman.] What is your name ? —Hiraka te Bango. 738. Where do you live ?—Batea Maohongo. 739. Do you know the land called Owhaoko ?—Yes ; I know the land. 740. And that called Kaimanawa Oruamatua? —Yes ; I know that block also. 741. Have you been living on either of these blocks of land?— Our residences are alongside of these two blocks. The lands of our cultivations run right alongside the boundary of one of these blocks. 742. What is it that you wish to state to the Committee about these blocks?—l wish to give evidence in.reference to the adverse judgment that was.made upon these blocks. 743. What is it that you wish to tell us about the matter ?—I wish to state that lam one of those who were omitted in the grants, but I am the son of one of those who were admitted. 744. Hon. Sir R. Stout.] Who was your father ? —lhakara te Baro. 745. You are a son of Ihakara te Baro?—Yes. 746. Is your father dead?—No, he is alive still; but he has sent me to speak for him in this matter. Here is also a letter from another Native whose name appears in the grant. 747. What is his name ?—Te Betimana te Baro. 748. The Chairman.] Your father's name appears as one of the owners of the Owhaoko Block? —Yes. 749. Then, what is your complaint in that case ?—My father does not approve of the judgment that was given in that case. 750. In what respect: on what grounds ?—lt is because several people had put in claims to the block who had no claims, and, by the time my father had appeared, these parties had been admitted to it. 751. Who are the parties that you object to that should not have been in the grants?—My father objects to Benata. 752. Why does he object to Benata ?—He has no claim to that land. He never had any fires lighted upon it. From his ancestors down to himself they never occupied the land, and never lighted fires upon it. 753. What tribe or hapu do you belong to ?—To the Ngatiwhiti Kaupeka me Ngatitama. 754. What tribe or hapu does Eenata belong to ?—Ngatikahununu. 755. Do you know Judge Eogan ?—I have heard of him, but lam not well acquainted with him. 756. I mean, do you know him by sight ?—No ; I should not know him if I saw him. 757. There was a Native Land Court held at Napier on the Ist September, 1876, ten years ago. Were you present at that ? —I was not present. 758. Was your father present, do you know ?—My father only went when they received the news by the mail; when they received the Gazettes. 759. After it was over ?—Judgment, as it were, might have been given to-day, and my father arrived the day after. 760. That was a judgment on one of the blocks of land, was it not ?—All we know about it was that judgment was given upon both blocks at that time. It is the judgment on the Owhaoko Block that was given. With regard to the judgment on the others, we do not know when it was given. 761. Did your father ever apply for a rehearing ?■—Yes. 762. Do you know when it was he made his application? —Yes. I recollect when he sent in the application for rehearing. 763. I suppose you cannot tell us when he sent it in ?—I do not know when my father sent in his application, but the tribe sent in their application directly after the judgment was given. My father sent in his application afterwards. 764. Have you been present yourself at any Court where the matter has been considered ? — No; I was not present. My father thought there were several cases to be heard before ours, and we thought we should have plenty of time before ours came on. But when the cases were heard, that was the first one heard by the Court.

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