2 Transactions. 



It is on these that stress is laid in asserting title. To the Native 

 an easy and comfortable supply of food was of the utmost 

 moment, and old-time difficulties in obtaining it moulded deep 

 into his character another trait — jealousy of other tribes, especi- 

 ally in matters pertaining to the occupation of lands. The 

 Maori brooked — so far as he could sustain his possession — no 

 interference with his feeding-places. Defined landmarks were 

 always set, and were considered true boundaries between the 

 lands of adjoining tribes. 



Similarly the hapus had their well-marked spheres of in- 

 fluence, and, in the vast majority of cases, special defined areas 

 of the land under the aegis of their particular Native tribe. But 

 both the boundaries and the area had relation to feeding- 

 facilities, and heavy bush country for that reason did not lend 

 itself to marked dispute except incidentally. So it was with 

 the greater extent of the Manawatu Block. 



But, passing to a consideration of the large block forming the 

 countryside around, the prospect clears, and we get more definite 

 detail. 



Dealing generally with the land between the Rangitikei and 

 the Manawatu Rivers, we find, when history dawns, early in the 

 last century, that the whole of the country was occupied by 

 branches of the Rangitane Tribe, which had fought its way from 

 the East Cape, and by their allied tribes, the Ngatiapa and 

 Muaupoko. As between themselves the Muaupoko held the 

 southern portions, the Ngatiapa the northern, while in the centre 

 were the Rangitane. The main habitations in the Manawatu 

 district were those of this latter tribe along the banks of the 

 Oroua and Manawatu Rivers, where food was plentiful. Here 

 they had populous settlements and large pas. The tribes were 

 numbered in hundreds — in one expedition twelve hundred took 

 part — and they lived then secure and prosperous in the open and 

 fertile country. 



The bush and mountain pas came later, and formed, as is 

 usual with Natives, the brand of troublous times. Early in the 

 century, at a date placed variously from 1818 to 1827, the Nga- 

 tiapa were first disturbed in their possession by the Ngatitoa 

 war expedition of Rauparaha and Waka Nene, which is so well 

 remembered. This war-party fought its way down the coast, 

 defeating and grievously crushing the Ngatiapa, the Muaupoko, 

 and, in part at least, the Rangitane ; for although the Rangitane 

 have in latter days expressed ignorance of the raid except in so 

 far as Rauparaha came into conflict with them at Hotuiti, the 

 contention savours of absurdity. If the Rangitane did firmly 

 hold the land then, the two parties — on the one hand the in- 

 truders and on the other the occupants — could not have failed 



