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Letter from Apiata Hungahunga, Matiu Meke & Nopera Kuikainga to Henare Matua and Ihakara Whaitiri
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Taipitopito | Details
Tau Tohutoro | Reference NoHM00746Rā | Date1873/08/04Mai I Te Wāhi | PlaceApakaroaMai I Te Tangata | FromApiata HungahungaMatiu MekeNopera KuikaingaKi Te Tangata | ToHenare MatuaIhaka WhaitiriNgā Tāngata | Names in letter Henare MatuaIhakara WhaitiriKaraaniPirimonaHemiKaraitianaMorenaHenare RataApiata HungahungaMatiu MekeNopera KuikaingaKaupapa | SubjectReta; CorrespondenceWhakatau Take; Grievance
Tūhonotanga | Related
Wāhi | PlaceTahoraitiTaumataPurimuTe WharawharaPoutiniHaraharaTe RakautatahiTe Awa ArikiWaimaanuTakapauWaiohikiPakohaiNepiaApakaroaTamakiKohikohinga | CollectionHenare Matua CollectionIwiNgāi TahuHapūNgāti MateNgāti Marau
Tu-hinga / Whakamāoritanga | Transcript / Translation
Tu-hinga | TranscriptTranscript: Apakaroa
Kia Henare Matua
Kia Ihakara Whaitiri.
E hoa ma tena koutou katoa he nui ano te ngakau aroha atu kia koutou e haere nei i runga i te mahi e tumanakotia nei e te ngakau notemea kua ritenga wawatatanga o nga ra kua hipa atu nei i nga ra o mua heoi ra te mihi atu kia koutou. Na he tuhi atu tenei i nga raruraru i puta i muri i a koutou kei Tamaki he rori ka timata i Tahoraiti ahu atu ki Taumata kua katia taua rori kua riro nga toki i nga maori te tangona te one Paramingi na Karaani taua rori ko te tahi ko te mahi ano a te tangata e noho nei ki Purimu kua oti te ra no Te Wharawhara nga rakau ko te taiapa i timata i te taha ki te tonga o Poutini eke atu i Te Taumata i Harahara. Ko te tahi kua maranga te tahi raruraru ki Te Rakautatahi ko te taiapa ki Te Awa Ariki kua pakaru ia Ngai Tahu kua parau tia taua wenua ka rongo ngati marau ka pekea ka wiua te parau ki waho o te taiapa ka wahia te whare ka urua nga rau ki waho nga ka hunga kohua me ana mea katoa puta noa atu ko waho o te taiapa hangaia atu te taiapa muri iho ka tu te pou a Ngai Tahu ka kite a Ngati Marau ka maunu i muri o tena ka pakarua ano ko te taiapa no te pou ka puta te kupu a Pirimona kia mutu te ra tu o ta raua riri ko Hemi me homai hoki he riri ke ma raua he reo ke he reo mo raua hei korero i roto i taua riri. Ko tetahi kua noho te reti a Karaitiana ki te Waimaanu ki te Takapau kua noho ngakau ki runga i te wenua.
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Ko te tahi mea ake hanga he paparakauta ki taua wenua ko taua whare na Ngai Tahu raua ko Ngati Mate ka to ki te tu taua whare ka pekea ano e Ngati Marau kia kore taua whare ki te tohe ki te hanga kapakarua kua rongo hoki matou i te tahi kupu no te hokinga mai o Morena i te Waiohiki i te tukunga i a koutou ka puta taua kupu i te mangai o Karaitiana tuarua no te hui a te roia ki Pakohai ka puta ano taua kupu ko taua kupu ko taana hanga ake ano tenei i te kino a kia he rano te mahi a te komiti ki te kore e puta ki enei kua mahia nei e ia ka mahia ano e ia ki tetahi atu waahi kei a rota hoki taua whakahoki mo taua kupu kia tae mai koutou ko rongo ai koutou kua tae mai nga putihana mo te tono komihana mo te tahi ture hou ara nga korero hoki i mahia i a tatou i Nepia na Henare Rata i tukua mai heoi kua tuhi matou he porangi no Henare he roa tera pea e tere te mahi o te Paremete.
Na Apiata Hungahunga,
na Matui Meke
na Nopera Kuikainga
Akuhata 4 1873.Whakamāoritanga | TranslationApakaroa
To Henare Matua
To Whaitiri
My friends, greetings to you both. Great is the affection held for you as you continue in the important work that occupies all our minds, for it fulfils the long-held aspirations of our people. Thus concludes my greeting. I write to inform you of troubles that have arisen at Tamaki following your departure. A road was begun there, running from Tahoraiti to Te Taumata. That road has now been closed. The Maori have removed the surveyor's tools from Fleming's section. As for the person staying at Purimu, his work is now complete. The timber for his fence was taken from Te Wharawhara. That fence begins at the southern boundary of Poutini and runs up to Te Taumata at Harahara. Further conflict has broken out at Te Rakautatahi concerning the fence at Te Awa Ariki. Ngai Tahu damaged a fence belonging to Ngati Marau and began ploughing the land. When Ngati Marau discovered this encroachment, they crossed to the site, seized the plough and threw it back over to Ngai Tahu's side of the fence. They also broke down a temporary shelter, casting out its cooking vessels and other belongings. Afterward, Ngati Marau rebuilt their fence. In response, Ngai Tahu set up a post to mark their claim. Ngati Marau, seeing this, withdrew for a time, but later returned and deliberately damaged the fence where the post had been erected. At this point, Pirimona intervened, calling for the quarrel between him and Hemi to cease, and urging that another way be found to resolve the dispute. In another matter, Karaitiana's lease at Waimaanu and Takapau has been secured, and his intentions regarding the land are now firm.
Page 2:
There is also concern about a drinking house that has been built there by Ngai Tahu and Ngati Mate. Ngati Marau opposed this, seeking to prevent its establishment and threatening to destroy it should construction continue. News has also reached us regarding Karaitiana. After Morena returned from Waiohiki, having escorted you on your way, Karaitiana spoke again at the lawyer's meeting at Pakowhai. His words appear to sow division. He declared that if the committee's work does not advance in the areas where he has already acted, he will continue his work elsewhere regardless. Rota responded to Karaitiana's remarks, and when you arrive, you will surely hear the full account. Finally, the petitions seeking a commission for new legislation - the matters we discussed in Napier - have arrived. Henare Rata forwarded them to us. We have written that Henare Rata seems quite mad, and that Parliament's proceedings may now face serious delay.
From Apiata Hungahunga,
Matui Meke,
and Nopera Kuikainga
August 4, 1873.
Kia Henare Matua
Kia Ihakara Whaitiri.
E hoa ma tena koutou katoa he nui ano te ngakau aroha atu kia koutou e haere nei i runga i te mahi e tumanakotia nei e te ngakau notemea kua ritenga wawatatanga o nga ra kua hipa atu nei i nga ra o mua heoi ra te mihi atu kia koutou. Na he tuhi atu tenei i nga raruraru i puta i muri i a koutou kei Tamaki he rori ka timata i Tahoraiti ahu atu ki Taumata kua katia taua rori kua riro nga toki i nga maori te tangona te one Paramingi na Karaani taua rori ko te tahi ko te mahi ano a te tangata e noho nei ki Purimu kua oti te ra no Te Wharawhara nga rakau ko te taiapa i timata i te taha ki te tonga o Poutini eke atu i Te Taumata i Harahara. Ko te tahi kua maranga te tahi raruraru ki Te Rakautatahi ko te taiapa ki Te Awa Ariki kua pakaru ia Ngai Tahu kua parau tia taua wenua ka rongo ngati marau ka pekea ka wiua te parau ki waho o te taiapa ka wahia te whare ka urua nga rau ki waho nga ka hunga kohua me ana mea katoa puta noa atu ko waho o te taiapa hangaia atu te taiapa muri iho ka tu te pou a Ngai Tahu ka kite a Ngati Marau ka maunu i muri o tena ka pakarua ano ko te taiapa no te pou ka puta te kupu a Pirimona kia mutu te ra tu o ta raua riri ko Hemi me homai hoki he riri ke ma raua he reo ke he reo mo raua hei korero i roto i taua riri. Ko tetahi kua noho te reti a Karaitiana ki te Waimaanu ki te Takapau kua noho ngakau ki runga i te wenua.
Page 2:
Ko te tahi mea ake hanga he paparakauta ki taua wenua ko taua whare na Ngai Tahu raua ko Ngati Mate ka to ki te tu taua whare ka pekea ano e Ngati Marau kia kore taua whare ki te tohe ki te hanga kapakarua kua rongo hoki matou i te tahi kupu no te hokinga mai o Morena i te Waiohiki i te tukunga i a koutou ka puta taua kupu i te mangai o Karaitiana tuarua no te hui a te roia ki Pakohai ka puta ano taua kupu ko taua kupu ko taana hanga ake ano tenei i te kino a kia he rano te mahi a te komiti ki te kore e puta ki enei kua mahia nei e ia ka mahia ano e ia ki tetahi atu waahi kei a rota hoki taua whakahoki mo taua kupu kia tae mai koutou ko rongo ai koutou kua tae mai nga putihana mo te tono komihana mo te tahi ture hou ara nga korero hoki i mahia i a tatou i Nepia na Henare Rata i tukua mai heoi kua tuhi matou he porangi no Henare he roa tera pea e tere te mahi o te Paremete.
Na Apiata Hungahunga,
na Matui Meke
na Nopera Kuikainga
Akuhata 4 1873.Whakamāoritanga | TranslationApakaroa
To Henare Matua
To Whaitiri
My friends, greetings to you both. Great is the affection held for you as you continue in the important work that occupies all our minds, for it fulfils the long-held aspirations of our people. Thus concludes my greeting. I write to inform you of troubles that have arisen at Tamaki following your departure. A road was begun there, running from Tahoraiti to Te Taumata. That road has now been closed. The Maori have removed the surveyor's tools from Fleming's section. As for the person staying at Purimu, his work is now complete. The timber for his fence was taken from Te Wharawhara. That fence begins at the southern boundary of Poutini and runs up to Te Taumata at Harahara. Further conflict has broken out at Te Rakautatahi concerning the fence at Te Awa Ariki. Ngai Tahu damaged a fence belonging to Ngati Marau and began ploughing the land. When Ngati Marau discovered this encroachment, they crossed to the site, seized the plough and threw it back over to Ngai Tahu's side of the fence. They also broke down a temporary shelter, casting out its cooking vessels and other belongings. Afterward, Ngati Marau rebuilt their fence. In response, Ngai Tahu set up a post to mark their claim. Ngati Marau, seeing this, withdrew for a time, but later returned and deliberately damaged the fence where the post had been erected. At this point, Pirimona intervened, calling for the quarrel between him and Hemi to cease, and urging that another way be found to resolve the dispute. In another matter, Karaitiana's lease at Waimaanu and Takapau has been secured, and his intentions regarding the land are now firm.
Page 2:
There is also concern about a drinking house that has been built there by Ngai Tahu and Ngati Mate. Ngati Marau opposed this, seeking to prevent its establishment and threatening to destroy it should construction continue. News has also reached us regarding Karaitiana. After Morena returned from Waiohiki, having escorted you on your way, Karaitiana spoke again at the lawyer's meeting at Pakowhai. His words appear to sow division. He declared that if the committee's work does not advance in the areas where he has already acted, he will continue his work elsewhere regardless. Rota responded to Karaitiana's remarks, and when you arrive, you will surely hear the full account. Finally, the petitions seeking a commission for new legislation - the matters we discussed in Napier - have arrived. Henare Rata forwarded them to us. We have written that Henare Rata seems quite mad, and that Parliament's proceedings may now face serious delay.
From Apiata Hungahunga,
Matui Meke,
and Nopera Kuikainga
August 4, 1873.
Letter from Apiata Hungahunga, Matiu Meke & Nopera Kuikainga to Henare Matua and Ihakara Whaitiri. Ngāti Kere Archives, accessed 08/04/2026, https://ngatikere.recollectcms.com/nodes/view/559