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Tau Tohutoro | Reference NoHM00187Rā | Date1875/08/07Mai I Te Wāhi | PlacePorangahauMai I Te Tangata | FromHenare MatuaKaupapa | SubjectPetihana; PetitionReta; CorrespondenceTohu Matawhenua | Geo Coordinates[1]
Tūhonotanga | Related
Kohikohinga | CollectionHenare Matua Collection
Tu-hinga / Whakamāoritanga | Transcript / Translation
Tu-hinga | TranscriptTranscript: Akuhata 7 1875
He putihana e tukua ana ki te Paremata ki te tumuaki o te runanga nui o te koroni o Nui Tireni me nga rangatira o taua runanga me nga kaiwhakahere tikanga mo te iwi me nga minita o taua Runanga.
He tono tenei naku e mau ake nei toku ingoa i raro nei mo tetahi Piihi whenua e takoto ana i roto i te Porowini o Haki Pei ko Whenuahou te ingoa i te tau 1854 ka pa HeRaruraru ki taua wahi ko te komihana nana i whakamana te Hoko a Hori Niania mo taua wahi e mau nei tona ingoa i Runga ake nei Ko Te Makarini ka rongo te iwi ka whakahekia nuitia taua hoko a tae noa kite ra i tae ake ai a te Makarini ki Porangahau ka Panuitia ki tona aroaro te kupu whakahe a te iwi mo taua hoko ka rongo a Te Makarini i te nui o te whakahe me te nganganui o te iwi katahi ia ka mea mai kia matou ata whakaritea e koutou he wahi mo nga moni a Hori kite oti tuhia ake He Pukapuka ma koutou kia mohio ahau ko Hori ia ki Nepia ka whakaotia e te iwi me wahi taua whenua kia ratou tetahi wahi kia Hori tetahi wahi ko te wahi kia Hori ka tukua ki roto ki te Poraka o Porangahau i hokona atu kia Te Makarini oti atu kaore e taea te whakararuraru ko te wahi
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mo nga iwi tukua ana ki waho o taua hoko hei whenua tuturu mo te inoi heoi i tera i panuitia ai taua whakaotinga kia Te Makarini i te aroaro o te iwi tino whakaaetia ana e ia taua whakaotinga ka rongo te iwi i ana kupu whakamana tau ana te miharotanga kite iwi me te mohio tuturu o te iwi no ratou tera wahi me a ratou noho i runga i taua wahi i nga tau ka rua tekau ma tahi mahi kai ai ma ratou muri iho ka noho tetahi Pakeha ki taua whenua ko te One Tini te ingoa me te mohio taua Pakeha no nga Maori taua wahi ka tae ki te rima ki te ono tau e haere ana aua Hipi i runga i taua wahi kai ai i nga tarutaru ka tonoa ki taua Pakeha kia puta mai he moni puta ana e rua rau e wha teka ma tahi heoi muri iho ka tae ana tau ki te tekau ma whitu ma waru e noho ana i runga i taua wahi ka hanga ia i ona taiepa ki te wahi e mohio ra nga Maori no ratou ka kite nga maori i a ia e mahi ana i ona taiepa katahi ka ki atu ki taua Pakeha me homai he pukapuka riihi kia matou kia marama ai to noho to taiepa ki tena wahi katahi ka ki mai taua Pakeha e mau ake nei tona ingoa i runga ake nei kua riro mai tenei whenua ki au naku i hoko ki te Kawanatanga katahi ka whakaaro te iwi ko ahau hei rapu i te tika i te he o te kupu a taua Pakeha heoi haere atu
Page 3:
ana ahau e mau ake nei toku ingoa i raro nei ki te kawanatanga o te Porowini whakaatu ai i te noho a taua Pakeha i runga i taua wahi mea atu ana ahau ki taua kawanatanga o te porowini pehea to whakaaro ki te mahi a taua Pakeha i te wahi o nga tangata Maori ka mea mai te kawanatanga ki au e pai ana te mahi a Te One Tini i taua whenua no reira katahi ahau ka whakaaro kei te kawanantanga te he mo tera wahi e mau ana koia te take o te inoi atu ki te tumuaki ratou ko te runanga kia wahio ano te mana o tera whakaotinga e korerotia i runga ake nei kia mau ana i runga i taua wahi heoi.
Henare Matua me etahi atu
Page 4:
He putihana na Ngatauwaru
Hei tuku kite Paaremata
Ote tau 1875Whakamāoritanga | TranslationAugust 7, 1875
A petition submitted to the Parliament, to the President of the Great Council of the Colony of New Zealand, to the chiefs of that Council, to the lawmakers for the people, and to the ministers of the Council.
This is a petition from me, whose name appears below, concerning a piece of land lying within the Province of Hawke's Bay, called Whenuahou. In 1854, a dispute arose concerning this land. The commissioner who authorised the purchase by Hori Niania - named above - was Te Makarini. When the people heard of this sale, widespread objection erupted. When Te Makarini arrived at Porangahau, the people's opposition was formally presented before him. Hearing the depth of grievance and intensity of feeling, Te Makarini said to us: "Carefully arrange an allocation in proportion to Hori's payment. Once you have recorded this in a written document, inform me. Hori will be in Napier." The people therefore completed an agreement: a portion of land for themselves, and a portion for Hori. The portion for Hori was to be included within the Porangahau Block, which had been sold to Te Makarini - a transaction finalised and beyond challenge. The portion
Page 2:
reserved for the tribes was kept outside that sale, designated as permanent land for the people. When this arrangement was proclaimed before Te Makarini, he gave his full assent. Hearing his confirmation, the people were filled with relief and certainty, knowing the land was theirs. They occupied and cultivated this land for twenty-one years, sustaining themselves upon it. Later, a European, Mr. Johnston, settled upon the land - fully aware that it belonged to Maori. For five or six years, his sheep grazed there. The people requested payment, and £241 was given. After seventeen or eighteen years, Johnston began erecting fences - not upon lands that were contested, but upon lands known by Maori to be theirs. Seeing this, the people requested a formal lease, to clarify Johnston's occupation and construction. However, Johnston declared: "This land has passed to me. I purchased it from the Government." The people, dismayed, selected me, whose name is written below, to seek truth and justice regarding Johnston's claim.
Page 3:
I approached the provincial government, informing them of Johnston's occupation. I asked: "What is your judgement regarding a European working land known to belong to Maori?" The provincial government replied: "The work of Mr. Johnston upon that land is appropriate." Thus, I came to understand that the error lay within the government itself. It is for this reason that I now petition the President and the Council: to reassert the authority of the original agreement described above, and to uphold the standing rights of the Maori over this land. Thus ends this petition.
Henare Matua and others
Page 4:
A petition from Ngatauwaru, to be submitted to the Parliament of 1875.
He putihana e tukua ana ki te Paremata ki te tumuaki o te runanga nui o te koroni o Nui Tireni me nga rangatira o taua runanga me nga kaiwhakahere tikanga mo te iwi me nga minita o taua Runanga.
He tono tenei naku e mau ake nei toku ingoa i raro nei mo tetahi Piihi whenua e takoto ana i roto i te Porowini o Haki Pei ko Whenuahou te ingoa i te tau 1854 ka pa HeRaruraru ki taua wahi ko te komihana nana i whakamana te Hoko a Hori Niania mo taua wahi e mau nei tona ingoa i Runga ake nei Ko Te Makarini ka rongo te iwi ka whakahekia nuitia taua hoko a tae noa kite ra i tae ake ai a te Makarini ki Porangahau ka Panuitia ki tona aroaro te kupu whakahe a te iwi mo taua hoko ka rongo a Te Makarini i te nui o te whakahe me te nganganui o te iwi katahi ia ka mea mai kia matou ata whakaritea e koutou he wahi mo nga moni a Hori kite oti tuhia ake He Pukapuka ma koutou kia mohio ahau ko Hori ia ki Nepia ka whakaotia e te iwi me wahi taua whenua kia ratou tetahi wahi kia Hori tetahi wahi ko te wahi kia Hori ka tukua ki roto ki te Poraka o Porangahau i hokona atu kia Te Makarini oti atu kaore e taea te whakararuraru ko te wahi
Page 2:
mo nga iwi tukua ana ki waho o taua hoko hei whenua tuturu mo te inoi heoi i tera i panuitia ai taua whakaotinga kia Te Makarini i te aroaro o te iwi tino whakaaetia ana e ia taua whakaotinga ka rongo te iwi i ana kupu whakamana tau ana te miharotanga kite iwi me te mohio tuturu o te iwi no ratou tera wahi me a ratou noho i runga i taua wahi i nga tau ka rua tekau ma tahi mahi kai ai ma ratou muri iho ka noho tetahi Pakeha ki taua whenua ko te One Tini te ingoa me te mohio taua Pakeha no nga Maori taua wahi ka tae ki te rima ki te ono tau e haere ana aua Hipi i runga i taua wahi kai ai i nga tarutaru ka tonoa ki taua Pakeha kia puta mai he moni puta ana e rua rau e wha teka ma tahi heoi muri iho ka tae ana tau ki te tekau ma whitu ma waru e noho ana i runga i taua wahi ka hanga ia i ona taiepa ki te wahi e mohio ra nga Maori no ratou ka kite nga maori i a ia e mahi ana i ona taiepa katahi ka ki atu ki taua Pakeha me homai he pukapuka riihi kia matou kia marama ai to noho to taiepa ki tena wahi katahi ka ki mai taua Pakeha e mau ake nei tona ingoa i runga ake nei kua riro mai tenei whenua ki au naku i hoko ki te Kawanatanga katahi ka whakaaro te iwi ko ahau hei rapu i te tika i te he o te kupu a taua Pakeha heoi haere atu
Page 3:
ana ahau e mau ake nei toku ingoa i raro nei ki te kawanatanga o te Porowini whakaatu ai i te noho a taua Pakeha i runga i taua wahi mea atu ana ahau ki taua kawanatanga o te porowini pehea to whakaaro ki te mahi a taua Pakeha i te wahi o nga tangata Maori ka mea mai te kawanatanga ki au e pai ana te mahi a Te One Tini i taua whenua no reira katahi ahau ka whakaaro kei te kawanantanga te he mo tera wahi e mau ana koia te take o te inoi atu ki te tumuaki ratou ko te runanga kia wahio ano te mana o tera whakaotinga e korerotia i runga ake nei kia mau ana i runga i taua wahi heoi.
Henare Matua me etahi atu
Page 4:
He putihana na Ngatauwaru
Hei tuku kite Paaremata
Ote tau 1875Whakamāoritanga | TranslationAugust 7, 1875
A petition submitted to the Parliament, to the President of the Great Council of the Colony of New Zealand, to the chiefs of that Council, to the lawmakers for the people, and to the ministers of the Council.
This is a petition from me, whose name appears below, concerning a piece of land lying within the Province of Hawke's Bay, called Whenuahou. In 1854, a dispute arose concerning this land. The commissioner who authorised the purchase by Hori Niania - named above - was Te Makarini. When the people heard of this sale, widespread objection erupted. When Te Makarini arrived at Porangahau, the people's opposition was formally presented before him. Hearing the depth of grievance and intensity of feeling, Te Makarini said to us: "Carefully arrange an allocation in proportion to Hori's payment. Once you have recorded this in a written document, inform me. Hori will be in Napier." The people therefore completed an agreement: a portion of land for themselves, and a portion for Hori. The portion for Hori was to be included within the Porangahau Block, which had been sold to Te Makarini - a transaction finalised and beyond challenge. The portion
Page 2:
reserved for the tribes was kept outside that sale, designated as permanent land for the people. When this arrangement was proclaimed before Te Makarini, he gave his full assent. Hearing his confirmation, the people were filled with relief and certainty, knowing the land was theirs. They occupied and cultivated this land for twenty-one years, sustaining themselves upon it. Later, a European, Mr. Johnston, settled upon the land - fully aware that it belonged to Maori. For five or six years, his sheep grazed there. The people requested payment, and £241 was given. After seventeen or eighteen years, Johnston began erecting fences - not upon lands that were contested, but upon lands known by Maori to be theirs. Seeing this, the people requested a formal lease, to clarify Johnston's occupation and construction. However, Johnston declared: "This land has passed to me. I purchased it from the Government." The people, dismayed, selected me, whose name is written below, to seek truth and justice regarding Johnston's claim.
Page 3:
I approached the provincial government, informing them of Johnston's occupation. I asked: "What is your judgement regarding a European working land known to belong to Maori?" The provincial government replied: "The work of Mr. Johnston upon that land is appropriate." Thus, I came to understand that the error lay within the government itself. It is for this reason that I now petition the President and the Council: to reassert the authority of the original agreement described above, and to uphold the standing rights of the Maori over this land. Thus ends this petition.
Henare Matua and others
Page 4:
A petition from Ngatauwaru, to be submitted to the Parliament of 1875.
Petition from Henare Matua. Ngāti Kere Archives, accessed 05/04/2026, https://ngatikere.recollectcms.com/nodes/view/401