Interview with Joe Empen

Joe Empen began working for the Maori Affairs Department in 1917. Mentions the Registrar at that time was Henry Seymour King and James Wakelin Brown was the Judge. Discusses the case relating to the beds of the Rotorua Lakes, the renting of them and the formation of the Arawa Trust Board. Comments that the Hansard reporters brought in were unable to cope with the Maori names and the whole of the case was transcribed by Mary O'Brian. Recalls the effect of the 1918 flu epidemic on local Maori including the deaths of Judge Thomas Henry Wilson and Tiari Waaka (Charlie Walker). Mentions the tangi of Morehu Kirikau.

Talks about the Peerless dance hall, the rowing club, a cricket match and players including New Zealand representative Rupert de Renzie (Renzy) Worker. Discusses fishing and a boat shared by Mary O'Brian, Rangi Royal, Jack Morgan and others.

Notes the Waiariki District Maori Land Court and Waiariki District Maori Land Board were amalgamated into the former body. Describes how there were Maori communities at Awahou, Ohinemutu, Whakarewarewa, Te Ngae and Mourea. Mentions Duncan William Steele who leased a lot of Maori land. Mentions the Pukeroa Oruawhata township case. Discusses the impact of Apirana Ngata of the Ward government in consolidating all North Island land titles in 1928. Notes that names were submitted for tribal ownership and titles examined but the shares within that ownership were determined later by the parties themselves. Talks about field officers Billy Cooper, Arthur Power and Maurice Bell. Mentions the Ruatoki consolidation scheme, the Whanau Apanui consolidation and the development of the Horohoro and Whakapoungakau block. Recalls the hard work of both Ngata and his contemporaries Maui Pomare, Peter Buck and Dr Ned Ellison. Mentions Hone Atutahi, interpreter Jane Foley and Kepa Ehau.

Interviewer(s) - Don Stafford

Quantity: 1 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 1 interview(s).

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-2858.