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2009. Did Mr. Rennell subdivide this land ? —He did. 2010. Did he let any of it ?—Yes. 2011. With their consent? —The Maoris did not consent to it being leased. 2012. Did some of them consent ?—No. 2013. Who are the principal men in this hapu grant ?—Piripi is one, Paratene, Nikorima. 2014. Were they asked to consent ?—These people of the tribe did not consent to the land beingleased. 2015. Were all the people on the land when Mr. Rennell came to get their consent ?—A number were living on the land, others were at Parihaka. 2016. Among those who were left on the land, and were not at Parihaka, did any number consent ?—No, they did not; none of them agreed. 2017. How much land is there left for occupation on this reserve, as far as you know ?—A considerable portion was retained for the use of Natives—perhaps 400 acres; but there are a good many owners of over 50 acres, and some perhaps of 100 acres. 2018. Have you ever heard that the rent of this land had been reduced ?—Yes. 2019. Were the Natives ever.consulted about the reduction of the rent ?—Yes ; but we did not agree to the reduction. 2020. Were they ever told that it would be reduced, whether they agreed or not ?—Yes. 2021. Has any of them ever consented to the reduction of the rent? —Seeing that none of us agreed to the land being leased, it was still more unlikely that any of us would agree to the rent being afterwards reduced. 2022. Are you a loyal Native or a rebel?— The Ngatirahiri were a loyal tribe, and remained loyal. 2023. Was your hapu the special corps under Captain Good?— Yes. 2024. Is this the only objection you hay the land has been leased at a reduced rent without your authority, or, rather, without the authority of your people ? — There are other objections. 2025. Is it the unanimous wish of your people, or is it only the wish of a few, that they should control the management of their lands themselves ?—lt is the unanimous wish of the people that they should be allowed to manage their land themselves. 2026. Have you or have they been put up by Europeans to becoming discontented with the Public Trustee, or does this discontent arise among the people themselves ? —No European has ever endeavoured to make us dissatisfied with the Public Trustee ; it has entirely originated with ourselves. 2027. Did you sign the petition printed in Maori —the petition to Parliament and forwarded, to me ?—lt was the tribe who signed that petition. 2028. Mr. Mackay.] What was the time when I went to Waihi with Sir William Fox ?—I have forgotten the year. 2029. Was there any one with me besides Sir William Fox ?—I think only you and Sir William Fox. 2030. Are you sure ? —I was not living at Waitara when you and Sir William Fox went there. I was living at Matarikoriko with my relatives. 2031. Where was your meeting held ?—At a place called Te Kuiti. 2032. Is that in W T aitara or Waihi ?—On the Waihi Block. 2033. W T as it not Mr. Humphreys, the Chief Surveyor, who was with me, and not Sir William Fox, Captain Wilson being my interpreter?— Perhaps it was as you say: my father and myself were not present at the time. Mr. Mackay : As a matter of fact, I may tell the Committee that Sir William Fox and myself were never at Waitara together.

Tuesday, 29th July, 1890. (Mr. W. D. Stewart, Chairman.) Mr. Taipua, M.H.R., examined. 2034. Mr. Sinclair.] Will you tell us, Mr. Taipua, whether you have been present at meetings of Natives in your district when this matter of the West Coast Settlements Reserves has been discussed?— Yes, I did attend certain meetings on the West Coast. The Natives at these meetings complained very bitterly of the injury that had been done them through the action of the Public Trustee, and'through the acts of certain officials who had administered the law 7 s passed by Parliament. 2035. Did they complain to you about the arbitration proceedings in reference to the leasing of their land?— The Natives complained very strongly about the action of the arbitrators in renewing the leases for a very long period. Several Natives from the district came to Wellington to see me on the same subject. 2036. When was this ?—The first time, the year 1887. 2037. Did they have an opportunity of considering the Act of 1887 before it was passed ?— I believe they had no opportunity of considering it. I told the Natives how 7 I had been entirely misled by the Premier's promise in regard to the Act of 1887. He said that was a merely temporary measure, and that he intended in the next session to bring in a permanent measure dealing with Native reserves, and giving the owners the management thereof. 2038. Is that the promise which you refer to as printed on page 936 of Hansard of 1887? —That is the promise—which I say the Premier has never kept. He did not act straightforwardly in the matter with me. If the Committee will allow me I will tell them what the Premier said. His words were, that in the next session—lßßß—he would introduce a Bill to restore the