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An Epitome of Official Documents Relative to Native Affairs and Land Purchases in the North Island of New Zealand

Hereditary Title, and Rights by Conquest

Hereditary Title, and Rights by Conquest.

A chief, when speaking of the title by which he holds his lands, never fails to make a distinction between those which he has inherited from his ancestors and those which he or his ancestors have obtained by conquest. Over the former his right is universally recognized. The latter appear to be tenable only so long as the party in possession is the more powerful. The claim which he advances is, however, quite characteristic of the people—viz., that they are the utu, or compensation for the death of page 2his relatives who perished in the fight. It is from purchasing lands the right to which is thus contested by two hostile parties, either of whom will gladly avail himself of an opportunity to sell independently of the other, that Europeans have unwarily fallen into so many difficulties.