Nga Kuri a Wharei is within an area that became disputed territory between Ngaiterangi and Hauraki tribes. Numerous battles occurred between tribes such as Ngaiterangi, Ngati Tara, Ngati Tamatera, and Ngati Maru.103
3.2 RAUPATU BOUNDARY
The name ‘Nga Kuri a Wharei’ has always been given to the northern boundary of the Tauranga confiscation. The boundary of the confiscated district was described using Maori names to denote features of significance. At the time the boundaries were decided the land had not been surveyed and so the exact areas and locations were not known.
The entire Tauranga Moana area was confiscated on 18 May 1865 by a proclamation under the New Zealand Settlements Act 1863. The schedule to the Order in Council described the confiscated district as:
All that land estimated to contain 211,000 acres, known as the Tauranga Block.
Bounded on the north-east by the sea from the mouth of Wairaki Creek to Ngakmia-whare Point; on the south-east by a line bearing south 45° west (true) 16 miles; thence on the south-west by a line bearing north 45° west (true) to the summit or watershed of the dividing range of hills between the East Coast and the Thames Valley: and thence following the said watershed northward to the summit of the Aroha Mountain; and on the north-west by a straight line from the summit of the Aroha Mountain to Ngakuria-whare Point.
Together with the Island of Tahua or Mayor Island, and such portions of Motiti or Flat Island as shall be adjudged to belong to the Ngaiterangi Tribe, or to individual members thereof.104
The Tauranga District Lands Act 1867 validated the Tauranga confiscation and subsequent arrangements that had been made. Section 4 of the Act declared that all lands in the Schedule to the Act should be taken to be the lands defined by the Order in Council. The Schedule to the Act is as follows:
All that land estimated to contain two hundred and fourteen thousand acres known as the Tauranga Block. Bounded on the north-east by the sea from the mouth of the Wairakei Creek to Ngakuri-a-whare Point on the south-east by a line bearing south forty-five degrees west (true) sixteen miles thence on the south-west by a line bearing north forty-five degrees west (true) to the summit or watershed of the dividing range of hills between the East Coast and the Thames Valley and thence following the said watershed northward to the summit of the Aroha Mountain and on the north-west by a straight line from the summit of the Aroha Mountain to Ngakuri-a-whare Point.
Together with the Island of Tuhua or Mayor Island and such portions of Motiti or Flat Island as shall be adjudged to belong to the Ngaiterangi tribe or to individual members thereof.105
The Tauranga District Lands Act 1868 replaced the Schedule of the 1867 Act with the following schedule:
103 For examples see Stokes, Whanau a Tauwhao, pp 21-27
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