CHAP. XIV.] ORURU MANGO-NUI. 229 



obtained from one tree. The work was done by 

 native sawyers. 



About six miles from its outlet into the harbour 

 the Pu-te-kaka is joined by another river, which 

 flows through a fine cultivated valley. The north 

 side of the harbour is hilly, and consists of a red 

 ferruginous loam, interrupted in some places by 

 basalt and Lydian stone. The southern head of 

 the harbour is a narrow peninsula, with table-land 

 on the top ; towards Point Surville the coast is 

 hilly, with occasional narrow valleys, most of which 

 are wooded towards the sea-coast. 



There are about thirty Europeans living in this 

 harbour, chiefly sawyers and storekeepers, and a 

 few natives. The latter have their fixed habitations 

 at Oruru, and only come here for the purposes of 

 trade and work. Most of them are Nga-pui, who 

 came from Tai-ama near Waimata, and occupied 

 the land with the permission of the chiefs at Kai- 

 taia. They have sold the whole of the harbour 

 and surrounding country to different people ; but 

 the chiefs at Kaitaia deny that they had any right 

 to do so, and have asserted their own claim to the 

 territory by selling the harbour to Government. 



Mango-nui is well situated for a small town, as 

 it commands a sufficient extent of agricultural and 

 timber land to insure success. There is an easy 

 communication with the different native settlements 

 in Lauriston Bay ; and a good path leads to Kai- 

 taia, which might easily be converted into a road. 



