Gill, who purchased Lots 12, 13 and 14, had signed the Ngai Te Rangi deed as a witness, and, as we have seen in chapter 2, was closely involved in the district’s affairs. It is perhaps unlikely, given the opinion that others had of Gill about his interest in local matters, that he would have been ignorant of these important details.

4.3 Native Land Court evidence

Judge J. A. Wilson presided over the succession cases, which were heard over several days. Hone Peeti was the Native Assessor. Te Moananui’s daughter, Ngapiri Marata Moananui, appeared as the claimant in the each of the succession cases. From the outset of the case for Lot 12, which was heard first, Ngapiri told the court that:

I should like to know who was the Interpreter who interpreted the Deed of Sale of this land – I believe that if he [Te Moananui] parted with the land he parted with it foolishly. I believe he did not get the [whole] of the money for this land – The Interpreter ought to know whether he was properly paid or not.¹¹

Ngapiri described her case more fully the next day in the succession case to Lots 13 and 14. After she was sworn, she stated that the land was ‘given to Te Moananui and Narai [sic] on behalf of the tribe’.¹² She told the court that ‘Te Moananui Tukaki’ and his sister Ngarae were ‘the trustees’.¹³ Ngarae was the younger sister of Te Moananui, who had died in 1868, but whose children had survived her. Ngapiri said:

I wish that myself and my cousins, that is my aunt’s children may succeed to this land – I mean Narai’s [sic] children – The children’s names are Ani, Mere, Hone, Paraone, and Nere – I have no children’.¹⁴

Ani Ngarae, daughter of Ngarae, appeared as the official counter-claimant. She lived at Motuhoa and identified herself as Ngati Maru. In her opening statement Ani Ngarae told the court that:

This 500 acres was claimed by my mother Narai – before Narai’s death this land was willed to me by Narai to me and my younger sisters and brothers. After her death this land was sold clandestinely (tahai [sic]) by Te Moananui – I wish to succeed our mother Narai to this land – This 300 acres was claimed by my mother only. Mr

¹¹ Ngapiri Marata Moananui, 15 August 1878, TMB 1, p. 15. Neither the adequacy of the purchase price, nor whether it was paid in full, were brought up again in the hearing.

12 Ngapiri Marata Moananui, 16 August 1878, TMB 1, p. 28. Ngarae is spelt ‘Narai’ throughout the minutes taken in 1878. This spelling is retained in direct quotations.

13 Ngapiri Marata Moananui, 16 August 1878, TMB 1, p. 29.

14 Ngapiri Marata Moananui, 16 August 1878, TMB 1, p. 29.