474 



PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION F. 



A woman who marries makes her garden on her own land, being- 

 assisted by her husband and his relatives ; she and her relatives help 

 the man on his land. In both gardens the woman has full control of 

 the yams, and the man of the bananas. 



Seeing that these land laws are so clear on the point of inaliena- 

 bility, it is a tribute to the wise administration of the Government 

 authorities of the past that so little trouble has occurred in the 

 purchase of lands. In securing blocks of land for educational and 

 mission purposes, I have always found the natives keep to the 

 boundaries they agreed upon, and, except in the following case, the 

 price also. On one occasion I had secured the promise of a small 

 piece of ground from the owner — just big enough for the erection of a 

 native house. When the Government official came to pay for the land, 

 we found twenty men seated in line on a log waiting for their pay. 

 Each of the men demanded equal payment, and at the same rate upon 

 which I agreed with the one OAvner. They all declared they were equal 

 owners. So I quietly declined to buy, offering the man I had dealt 

 with slight compensation for his trouble. Immediately the other nine- 

 teen jumped up, and laughingly said they had only been trying to take 

 us in. 



We had to be very particular in the surveys of our land. For 

 instance, the sui-veyor of one block could not very well follow a 

 crooked boundaiy in ©very particular, so he took his line across a 

 Tanolodavv^a. Under the exceptional circumstances, after much ex- 

 planation, the o-vATier of the next property consented to the alteration 

 oT the boundaries on receiving compensation. 



One sui-A^eyor, in nanning his chain around a small block which 

 had been previously purchased by the Government, mistook the exact 

 boundary by a feAv feet. The original owner came to me complaining, 

 and asking that I would act as inteipreter. I gladly did so, and there 

 was, of course, no difficidty in having the mistake rectified. At the 

 close of the proceedings I left, and in a short time the native came to 

 me in great excitement, asking that I would return to the surveyor a 

 present he had given him. "'■' If I accept the present," said he, " shall 

 I not lose my true boundaiy 1" 



Fruit trees belong to those who planted them, even if on some- 

 one else's land. In a village every tree has its owner, though a young 

 heir has the right to climb any tree. 



Pigs and dogs belong to the individual, unless they have been 

 bought by a family or a village for a feast, or to be used as a family- 

 gift to maiTied relatives- 

 Canoes, fishing nets, ornaments, and other native wealth, accord- 

 ing to their value, may belong to the individual or the family. All 

 things too large for individual ownership are owned by the family. 



A man who acquires much native wealth in his own individual 

 right is called Esaesa. Only a man can be called Esaesa, and only a 

 wc>man Arawata. A family or a village may secure the title of Esaesa. 



When a man dies his private property is taken by his sister's- 

 children principally, then by his brothers, and even his own. sons may 

 have a small share. If his sister's children are too young, his brothers 

 will take their share, and pay the children back when they have groAvri' 

 uj). Should one of the nephews attend to his uncle with loving care 

 during the illness preceding death, he will become the tobuio, or pre- 

 ferred heir, and receive the biggest share of the property. 



