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Keteketerau the opening got blocked. Wharcrangi was one of the cultivations. It was in the hills but Kopaki was on the sea coast. It was on the lake. At time of the sale one would require to swim Across the opening. The first settlement was at Onepoto. Heard that ships could not get to Onepoto Bay. Nepata Puhara xx by Mr. Knighi.\ Cannot say when Keteketerau was first made, but I heard it was first opening. Cannot say when new opening was made. Cannot say when they finished getting fresh water fish out of lake, but it was when Napier South was reclaimed. It was then we ceased to fish for eels and other fish. We still get eels. About 30 years ago was when I last saw a crayfish. The salt water killed the kakahi. That was about 30 years ago. Re-xd by Mr. Myers.] I got inanga out of the lagoon when I was a boy and also as a man. We still fish for inanga. In summertime we get the inanga still. As a boy I got kakahi but that was a long time ago. By Chairman.'] Waiohingaanga river and Tutaekuri river used to run into lake. The water got out at Keteketerau but it was rot a continual opening. There were dead buried at mouth of Keteketerau. When the mouth was opened on one occasion the burial ground was affected and bodies washed away, and so the old opening was abandoned and a new one made. Keteketerau was renamed Ruahoro on account of this washing away. Porolcoru Maapu, sworn.] Live at Moteo. Claim to be interested in Whanganui-a-rotu. Am ■53 years of age. When a boy lived at Moteo and Poraiti. I fished in the lagoon. I used to get fresh water fish whitebait (inanga) and eels, but not kakahi. The opening was then at its present place. It was dug about 1851. The water is now much deeper. We used to take barges and to swim horses across. I know that Keteketerau was first opening and then later the present one. I was told that the two streams and other smaller streams flowed into the lake, and when the opening was blocked would cause their cultivations to be flooded. The Maoris decided to open up the present opening. Some homes of the people were at the " Iron Pot ". Certain winds would blow, close the opening and flood the homes. Natives then decided to make the new opening. xx by Mr. Grant.] The opening at Keteketerau was one chain wide. The tide came in and out a little. We had a settlement at Okahu. Why did lake not dry up when opening was made ? On account of banks being high between lake and sea. xx by Mr. Knight.] I did not see schnapper in the lake as a boy. Not re-xd. Mr. Myers said this was all the evidence he wished to call. Tuehu Pomare calls evidence : Waha Pango, sworn.] Living at Matahiwi now. I lived at Petane, at Waiohiki, Omarunui and other places adjoining the lake. I was at Te Ongaonga when the deed of 1851 was executed. That is where the railway line leaves the breakwater. After the sale to Government was agreed upon and price fixed Aknhata te Hapua a brother of Paora Torotoro stood up and addressed Mr. McLean the Government Officer. He requested one favour that there should be reserved to the Natives the W T hanganui-a-rotu as it was their source of food. He also asked that Wharerangi be reserved. Also for Puketitiri. That was bush land where they were accustomed to snare birds for food. McLean replied and said what they asked for was just and it would be given effect to and the boundaries located. As far as the reserves were concerned that was carried out. The fish in the lake were eels, inanga, kokopu, and flounders. Before the opening this was a fresh water flounder. After the opening was made sea flounders were found there. Fresh water flounder is Mohoao. Salt water flounder is Maramaratotara. We had an eel weir at Wairoaiti called Te Waha-o-te-marangai. Keteketerau got its name as follows. It was originally called Ruahoro. Tara, a chief came from Wairoa and heard the sounds of a flute from Wairoa. He was so surprised that he expressed his astonishment a hundred times. Keteketerau was closed before I was born. I never saw any opening there. The mouth at Keteketerau was half mile in width and you can still see its traces. Upokopoito is wrongly named on map produced. The place of that name is on the Napier side and not on west shore side —not far from Awatoto station. xx by Mr. Myers.] I was born in 1841 (12 July 1841). Cannot give history as to new opening. Heard the old one was closed through witchcraft. xx by Mr. Prentice.] I signed petition to Parliament. The Avhole of Whanganui-a-rotu was not fresh water at time of sale in 1851. When opening was closed water became fresh. (Refers to petition which cites salt water fish as being obtained by ancestors.) How do you account for this ? Because when it was closed it was fresh water fish that we got. When it was open salt water came in. (Explains how rivers got blocked by action of sea and required reopening.) Sometimes the water in the harbour would be salt and sometimes fresh. Not xx by Mr. Knight. Not re-xxd. By Chairman.] The Maoris brought their canoes at Pakake at the mouth of opening. The canoes would go in and out when channel was open.

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