Ohinemuri District: Ohinemuri 17

Succession to two deceased persons have not yet been made. The applications have been before the Court, but the proper successors have not appeared to prosecute the claims. I think this will be one at the Court now sitting at the Thames. When this is done, further progress no doubt can be made.

The other owners (2) are some distance inland from Paeroa and hard to get at. If the matter is urgent a special trip will have to be made to look them up.92

By August 1926 the interests of all but one of the owners had been purchased.93 The sole non-seller was Arara Teri. The land purchase officer was asked to "make some efforts" to get Arara's signature,94 and he replied that The latest information I have is he was last heard of in the back blocks at Waotu, and hard to get at. However I will make a start on Monday, when I hope to find him.95

But the land purchase officer was unsuccessful. In May 1929 he reported that

Arara Teri, who holds 14 acres 1 rood, is a hard man to locate. I have made at last five or six fruitless journeys to find him. Some say he is dead, and others that he is in the back-woods somewhere. I have gone so far as to lodge an application for succession without any result, as the Lands Department seem to be pressing for the Crown's award. I reported to them that I did not think the outstanding interest could be purchased without some expense, as the remaining owner, if alive, was hard to find.96

That month application was made to have the Crown's interest defined and partitioned out.97 In July 1929 the Court awarded the Crown Section IB2 of 78 acres, and the sole non-seller Section 1B1 of 13 acres 2 roods.98

Section 1B2 was declared Crown Land in October 1929.99

In November 1929 the land purchase officer telegraphed that

Lands Department anxious complete the purchase of [Section IBI] to save survey costs. A succession order has now been made to the deceased owner, and the sole successor is willing to sell at price formerly offered. The matter is urgent, I will purchase on new deed. Waiting instructions. 100

He was told to proceed on this basis,101 and secured the signature of Ngaere Marumaru, successor to Arara Teri, later that month. The purchase price was £13-5-8d..102

92 Land Purchase Officer Auckland to Under Secretary Native Department, July 1924. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1920/31. Supporting Papers #B174.46.

93 Auckland Deed 4734. Supporting Papers #A394.

94 Under Secretary Native Department to Land Purchase Officer Auckland, 7 February 1927. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1920/31. Supporting Papers #B174.47.

95 Land Purchase Officer Auckland to Under Secretary Native Department, 12 February 1927. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1920/31. Supporting Papers #B174.48.

96 Land Purchase Officer Auckland to Under Secretary Native Department, I May 1929. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1920/31. Supportin Papers #B174.49-50.

97 Application for Partition, 8 May 1929. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1920/31. Suppoting Papers

#B174..51.

98 Land Purchase Officer Auckland to Under Secretary Native Department, 15 July 1929. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1920/31. Supporting Papers #13174.52.

99 New Zealand Gazette 1929 page 2646. Supporting Papers #W6I.2.

100 Telegram Land Purchase Officer Auckland to Under Secretary Native Department, 11 November 1929. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1920/31. Supporting Papers #B174.53.

101 Telegram Under Secretary Native Department to Land Purchase Officer Auckland, i2 November 1929. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1920/31. Supporting Papers #B174.54.

102 Auckland Deed4743. Supporting Papers #A395.

103