Chapter 1: Government Policy and Maori Reaction, 1880–1890

was time to see a return for its expenditure. Two years later, Wilkinson was instructed to arrange for a meeting with all the owners of Piako. R.J. Gill, the Under Secretary of the land purchase branch which had been recently constituted as a separate sub-department, advised the Native Minister that: 'Wilkinson's first action should be assisting natives to make application to the Native Land Court for title; subdivision would follow and a general settlement of the old and new purchases could then be made.'92 The field officer reported immediate success in 'getting all tribes with claims in Piako to send applications to the Chief Judge, except for the Hauhau party who were well represented at the meeting and did everything in their power to induce the others not to allow the matter be dealt with by the court.'93

Wilkinson now dealt primarily with Ngati Maru who, by this point, had the most to gain from the completion of the Crown's transaction with Ngati Paoa so that their own interests could be freed up for sale. They were persuaded to bring a claim before the land court but Wilkinson reported that the hearing, held in January 1882, had done little to put the block on a more satisfactory footing for the Government. Ngati Paoa had objected to the right of Ngati Maru to fix the boundary in court, and had left the courtroom in a body, signifying their intention to reopen the question. The line remained fixed on a map only.94 The strength of opposition—both to the claims of other tribes and to the sequence of court hearing, survey and sale—continued to thwart efforts to establish the boundary on the ground. In April 1882 Taipari and Te Pene accompanied Wilkinson and a surveyor up the Piako River and pointed out a spot on the west bank, seven miles above Te Kerepehi, as the starting point for the line dividing Ngati Maru and Ngati Paoa over to the confiscation boundary. Wilkinson reported that: 'In conversation, with Taipari since, he says that if the Government are anxious to have the line cut, and provided the cost of survey is not made a lien upon the Ngatimaru land, he is prepared to put it through with his own people.'95

Trouble over survey next broke out in Ngati Maru. Horomona Mahoetahi—a Ngati Maru leader, married to a Ngati Hako woman, and based at Te Kerepehi—immediately objected.96 He had been bound over to keep the peace for obstruction in November 1881, and now warned that he was unwilling for the survey to come to Te Kerepehi, maintaining that it had been agreed at the Whakatiwai meeting that the boundary would be fixed in court rather than a line cut.97 While Wilkinson did not anticipate violent protest, a problem quickly arose from an unexpected quarter. Taipari was not willing for a lien to be placed on Ngati Maru land for a matter which he saw as lying primarily between the Government and another tribe. He claimed that Gill had agreed that the Government would pay the cost. Bryce, however, informed Taipari that Ngati Maru would have to

92 Gill to Native Minister, 15 July 1881. NLP 81/260 in ibid.

93 Wilkinson to Gill, 23 July 1881. NLP 81/298 in ibid.

94 'Reports from Officers in Native Districts,' AJHR 1883, G–1, p. 7. Doc. 5, p. 95.

95 Wilkinson to Under Secretary, Native Department, 27 April 1882. NLP 82/1313 in MA 13/64 (b). Doc. 4, pp. 19–21.

96 'Reports from Officers in Native Districts,' AJHR 1882, G–1 p.4.

97 Wilkinson to Under Secretary, Native Department, 27 April 18 82. NLP 82/1313 in MA 13/64 (b). Doc. 4, pp. 19–21.

45