Shoetland. — SketcJ/, of tTie Maori Baees. 333 



It has been stated by many tbat a native title to land is so complicated 

 tliat it is impossible to unravel it ; indeed, latterly tbe favourite theory has 

 prevailed that the only remedy is to cut the knot. No doubt it is a trouble- 

 some matter thoroughly to investigate a native title ; but such has been done 

 in some cases, and could in every case have been done with the application of 

 patience by a person who understood his work and had sufficient intelligence. 

 How much of talent, education, and experience is brought into play to 

 investigate the title to an estate in England when a purchase is contemplated! 

 In New Zealand it has too often been the case to intrust the investigation of 

 title to native lands and their purchase to men possessing no qualification 

 fitting them for the office. It is much to be regretted that political influence 

 should be suffered to intervene in such affairs. 



To return to the history of the descendants of the crew of the Arawa : 

 they spread themselves from Maketu to Hotorua and the adjacent lakes, 

 thence to Taupo, and some of them as far as Wanganui, near Cook Strait, 

 peopling the shores of the numerous lakes of the interior ; but they did not 

 extend themselves along the coast very far in either direction. They now 

 form one of the most important natural divisions of the New Zealanders, 

 their numbers amounting, on a rough estimate, to about one-sixth of the 

 entire population, or perhaps to rather more. They have also some general 

 peculiarities of dialect which distinguish them from the Waikato tribes and 

 from the rest of their countrymen. The majority of this tribe have taken no 

 part in favour of the Maori King, but have taken up arms to oppose the 

 passage of the East Coast tribes through their territory on their way to join 

 "Waikato. They have had several sharp encounters with their own country- 

 men on this ground of dispute, in which they have been finally victorious. 

 Winiata Tohi Te Ururangi, one of their bravest chiefs and our firm ally, lost 

 his life very recently in one of these engagements at Te Matata. 



Eastward of the Arawa, in the Bay of Plenty, dwell the tribe Ngatiawa, 

 whose ancestors are said to have come also from Hawaiki in a canoe named 

 Te Mataatua. Their canoe came to land at Wakatane. The descendants of 

 its crew have spread eastward and westward, touching the Ngatitai and the 

 Arawa tribes, and, inland, the Urewera tribe have the same origin. 



Bordering on the eastern limit of the Ngatitai come the tribe Ngatiporou, 

 who extend all along the east coast as far as "Wairarapa. The southern 

 division, however, have for many generations taken the name of Ngatikahu- 

 hunu, from their ancestor Kahuhunu, who came from the North Cape in 

 search of a celebrated beauty whom he married, and settled in the country 

 of his adopted tribe. 



The Ngatikahuhunu were formerly much more powerful than at the 

 present time, and extended along the north shores of Cook Strait as far as 



