Exeter Hall had exerted its wonderful influence in attempting to settle
all sorts of questions affecting the Empire and the management of
Imperial interests in the colonies, the governing of which had already
been handed over to the care of those who had so ably developed them.
Exeter Hall had influenced the Imperial Government to call upon the New
Zealand Government to make monetary compensation to the Maoris for the
loss, or so-called loss, of portions of the land which had been taken
from them as the result of the Maori War.

A very considerable tract of land, then known as the King Country, lay to
the west of Tauranga, and included, I think, the Ohinemutu district.
Riding from Tauranga towards the west, you passed through the bracken
country and then arrived at the magnificent bush, which began at a place
called Europe, known as "Orope" by the Maoris. Glorious and magnificent
trees towered overhead, while hundreds of creepers and other
semi-tropical plants grew so intensely that it was more than difficult to
force a way through. Herein was the home of the supple-jack, whose
branches enfolded you more and more the longer you attempted to force
your way through. Here was the home of the wild boar. A large tract of
this country formed part of the land for which compensation was to be
paid by the Government to the Maoris in accordance with the dictates of
Exeter Hall.

Courts of jurisdiction were established at several centres of the
population. The courts consisted of an English justice and a native
assessor. One of these courts was established at Tauranga. The question
for the court to decide was which Maori tribe, at the time of the close
of the Maori War, were actually the rightful owners of the particular
land in dispute. I was informed at the time--and I think my information
was correct--that the title of ownership lay, in accordance with the
Maori traditions, with the chief of a tribe who had actually killed (and
eaten part of) his unsuccessful rival. The courts arranged to make duly
known to all tribes that put forward a claim to any such lands, the dates
on which sittings would be held to deal with each case in rotation.

I was at Tauranga when the court was sitting, and a wonderful experience
it was. The value of the tract of land under consideration in this one
case was some L6,500. Remember that it was not intended to restore the
land to the Maoris. They were to be compensated only in cash value for
the