EVIDENCE RELATIVE TO THE ORIGIN

75. Can you state positively whether or not Wiremu Kingi belonged to any land-league extending beyond the Ngatiawa tribe, previous to the dispute about the land?—l m"st guard myself in answering , this question against being misunderstood, and must first know what is meant by the " land-league"— whether it is to be taken in its extended or limited sense—if in an extended sense I should have to give one answer—if in a limited sense, another. If it is meant by a land-league that he exercised influence over tribes other than his own I must deny that he did so, —as I am fully convinced that Win. King never did endeavour to exercise any influence over foreign tribes, and that he has used no influence beyond his own tribe. In this limited sense, that is in reference to his own trine, only he may be called a land-leaguer. But I can see no connection between this question and the subject of the Taranaki War. 76. Mr. Do you know whether Wm. King had any opportunity offered him of stating his claim to the Government Officers, or to the Governor himself before the Military force was brought into action?—-I presume he had innumerable opportunities, he might have written by every Post. He had an opportunity of meeting the Governor after the publication of Martial Law. (After further conversation between Mr. Sewell and the witness, witness said) I must then confess myself unable to understand the question. 77. Mr. Gillies.~\ Have you any influence with the Natives in your neighbourhood in guiding thu formation of their opinions on secular not on religious ;natters?—l am not aware that I have any influence whatever on the subject. 78. Have you assisted in guiding , the native opinion to the result stated by you " that the present war was not to assert the Queeen's Supremacy but a war of spoliation"?—l certainly did not. la fact my opinions on those subjects have been formed since theirs. 78. Mr. Richmond.] On what authority do you state that there are 90 claimants on the Block at Waitara and only 10 or 11 claimants consenting?— What I have now stated on this subject rests on the assertions of others lam here as an unwilling witness in the case before the House, unprovided with direct proof. lam but a secondary witness, I have founded my convictions upon statements made to me by the Natives themselves—but I do not know what is considered conclusive to the Committee lam unable to state to the Committee all the grounds on which 1 have formed opinions. Ido not know whether I fully understood the question. 80. Is William King one of the ninety ?—I have before stated that the right of the tribe extends over the whole of that block, therefore he is one of the claimants. 81. Has William King ever made a proprietary claim ?—I hear that he made a proprietary claim to a portion of the block. It would be impossible for me to say what it is, as I understand that the boundaries of the block are undefined. I have heard that about sixty acres, on the south bank, had been left out as belonging to William King. It is utterly impossible for me to state, without the boundaries being defined, what portion of his claim is within the block and what without it. His son has a claim within the block. 82. What proof have you that Hamere Ngaia has a claim on the block ?—-I before stated that I am unable to produce all the evidence which I have had, but I may state to the Committee that an old man, who resided at Waitara forty years, pointed out to me, when I was at Waikanae, portions of the land whicji belonged to William King. Several other Natives confirmed that statement. 83. Are you aware whether any act of ownership was ever exercised by the Waikato upon the block ?—Certainly none that I acknowledge to be an act of ownership. 84. Do you know of any Waikato Native, except Peketahi, who lived at Waitara ?—I do not know that any other lived there, in such a sense as to establish a title. 85. Aie you aware whether William King asked permission of Potatau to return to Waitara ?— I remember Potatau visiting him at Waikanae. Ido not believe that King asked permission to return to Waitara. They had nothing but a friendly conversation. Ido not believe that he did ask, for if he had, it would not have escaped me. I never heard that he did. He may have applied by letter to Potatau, asking his leave to return. 80. Were you at Kapiti or Otaki when the " Tory" was first there?—l was neither at one nor the other. 87. That was the time when the Queen Charlotte's Sound Deed was executed, and when any payment to W. King would have been made?— When the Deed was executed the payment would be made, no payment beyond a few presents was ever made. 88. On what authority do you state that there was no investigation of the Absentee Claims? —I am quite certain that none was made at Waikanae. It muse be generally understood that my evidence in reference to this dispute is derived chiefly from the chief Hohepa Ngapaki and Riwai Tβ Aim; I have had information from others, but I limit myself to these two. 80. Mr. Fit:herbert.~\ Do you believe that i? you were permitted to summon Native witnesses from the South, you could substantiate by direct evidence the statements you have made before the Committee where requiring direct confirmation?— Yes, I think I could substantiate every one of the statements I have made relating to the Natives at Waitara. lam quite sure I could substantiate all of them. Ordered that the Witness be now discharged from further present attendance on the Committee. The Venerable Archdeacon accordingly withdrew. Mr. Commissioner Donald McLean in attendance. Ordered, that Mr. McLean be introduced within the Bar, and be permitted to seat himself.

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