while the 3130 acre block was given the appellation
Section 1 Block III Aroha Survey District, Section r Block vi Aroha Survey District, and Section r Block VII Aroha Survey District.
The total area of the reserve was 3,42,9 acres 1 rood 12 perches.
The reserve was said to include members of the following hapu of Ngati Tamatera:
Ngati Tawhaki Ngati Rangi Ngati Pohutu Te Mateatua Te Kiriwera Ngati Pare
Ngati Pinenga Ngati Rangitaua Te Mahurehure Te Matewaru Ngati Teroro Te Mango.
The Reserve was partitioned in December 1894. Haora Tareranui told the Court that
the owners of this land wish to partition this land so that a piece may be cut out for Tuhourangi, whose own land in the Tarawera District was rendered useless by the volcanic eruption of 1886. A number of the Tuhourangi tribe are occupying the land, but they have no title, and it is the wish of Ngati Tamatera to give them a title to four hundred acres. The intention was to give them all the block, but some of the owners do not approve. The land comprises two distinct blocks of land, the one that we wish to deal with is called Aroha Blk III Sec 1 [and] Aroha Blk
Sec 1, and contains 3130 acres. There are 154 owners. The matter has been under discussion ever since 1887. We want an order made in favour of certain persons of Tuhourangi tribe for 400 acres, and an order for the balance of the land in favour of the present owners.23
The 400 acres was awarded to Te Keepa Rangipuawhe solely, and was given the appellation Section 1B Block III Aroha Survey District.24 The remainder of the block, with an area of 3029 acres 1 rood 12 perches, was retained in a single title in the ownership of 152 persons.25
Offer to Sell Ngatitamatera Reserve to the Crown
In November 1894 Karauria Paaka offered his interests in Ohinemuri 17 to the newly arrived land purchase officer at Thames, Gilbert Mair. He offered to sell those interests for 8/- an acre, explaining that
Part of the land is level and of good quality, while the hilly portion is covered with kauri and some totara. There are also several gold mines upon it. The part near the Ohinemuri River is very rich land indeed.26
23 Hauraki Minute Book 36 page 279. Supporting Papers #42.18.
24 Order of the Court, 11 December 1894. Maori Land Court Hamilton Block Orders file H1336 (Part Bii). Supporting Papers #K87.1.
25 Order of the Court, II December 1894. Maori Land Court Hamilton Block Orders file H1336. Supporting Papers #K86.1-7. Hauraki Minute Book 36A pages 13-17. Supporting Papers #43.1-5.
26 Karauria Paaka, Paeroa, to Land Purchase Officer Thames, 23 November 1894. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1895/444. Supporting Papers #B106J-2.
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