1.—12

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1133. Did you look to see whether that was the Act of 1887. I. did not look to see whether it was the Act of 1887 or 1881. 1134. Do you approve of the way the Public Trustee administers these reserves ? —No ; I object to it. 1135. What part of his administration do you object to ?—I object to his having authority to lease our land, or to his leasing it to the extent of thirty years. 1136. Did you approve of the administration by the Trustee prior to the arbitrators being appointed ? —We made objections also prior to their being appointed ; we objected to Mr. Rennell being appointed; we objected to the way we received our rents. 1137. Do you think your rents were reduced through Rennell being appointed, or what is your general opinion ? —I believe some were reduced : I believe that others got their rent to the full amount; but with regard to myself it was not reduced. Mr. Bell : If he says that it was reduced through Mr. Rennell that is manifestly not the fact. 1138. Mr. Parata.] Did you appoint any counsel to appear in your behalf before the arbitrators ?—No; we did not appoint any counsel on our behalf. 1139. How was it you did not appoint counsel ?—We thought we could manage our own affairs, and make our own objections. 1140. Hon. Captain Kenny.] I understood you to say that you gave evidence before the arbitrators under protest: on what ground did you protest: was it against the constitution of the Court, or the powers which had been delegated to the Court ? —I have already stated that I objected to their coming to arbitrate over our property at all, or extending the lease to thirty years. 1141. You considered it an interference with your rights of property ? —Yes. 1142. Mr. Bennett.] You say it was reduced by me : you mean, I suppose, the Public Trustee. Will you say how it has been reduced ? Will you point out an instance ?—I cannot say any particular case. I have heard that the rents had been handed over to the Trustee, and that some money had been handed over to the officers of the department. 1143. In what cases were they reduced?— You reduced some. 1144. Tell me whether your rent has been reduced?—No ; mine has not been reduced.

Wednesday, 23ed July, 1890. Noema Tawake Aeiki examined. 1145. Mr. Sinclair.] In what reserves are you interested ?—Rua-o-te-nioko. 1146. Were you a party to the lease to Caverhill ?—No. 1147. Do you know the state of the land when it was leased to Caverhill?—The land had been cultivated by us for several generations back. 1148. Was the greater part of it in a rough state or under cultivation ?—The whole of that piece of land had been cultivated by us. 1149. Was it in grass when the land was leased? —Yes. 1150. Was it rough or good grass?— The greater part was in very good grass; some of it had been rooted up by pigs. 1151. Any improvements made on the land since it was leased ?—Shortly after the property was leased to him he cut down forest and laid it down in grass. 1152. Were you present at the Arbitration Court in connection with this block?— Yes. 1153. Did you agree to the arbitration?—-No. 1154. Did you object ?—Yes, I objected. 1155. At the time of the arbitration, was the land much improved, compared with what it was when you leased it ? —No ; it was just in the same state as when we leased it; it was in good trim when it was leased. 1156. Did you know by the lease that the land was to be fenced by Caverhill?—Yes. 1157. Has Caverhill fenced it ?—Yes. 1158. When did he fence it—was it before or after 1884 ?—I believe it was all fenced in three years after he took the lease of the property. 1159. Did he put any buildings on. the property ?—No. 1160. Are there any buildings on it now ?—No. 1161. Are you interested in any lands which have been leased by the Public Trustee ?—Yes. 1161 a. Will you give me the names of the reserves?—Mangaotoki and Mawhitiwhiti. This last is my residence. 1162. Do you remember this land being leased by the Public Trustee ?—I do not know what time it was leased ; all I know was that he had let it. 1163. Were you consulted about leasing it ?—No. 1164. Do you and your people all live together, or are you scattered here and there ?—We all reside in one place. 1165. If others of your tribe had been consulted, would you have heard of it ?—We only heard that the land was going to be let; but no European came to us to consult us or to make arrangements about the matter. 1166. Did not the Public Trustee come himself ?—No. 1167. Was there much of your land leased ? —-Yes ; there was a very large piece that the Public Trustee leased. 1168. Was there enough land unleased left for your support?—No, not very much. 1169. Was there enough ?—No ; we have not enough. 1170. How many are there of you ?—There is a great number : I cannot enumerate them at present.