Page:Maori Religion and Mythology.djvu/102

CHAPTER VII.

Sunt autem privata nulla naturâ, sed aut vetere occupatione, ut qui quondam in vacua venerunt; aut victoriâ, ut qui bello potiti sunt; aut lege, pactione, conditione, sorte.—Cicero de Off., Lib. i, ch. vii.

If you were to make inquiry from a New Zealander as to his land-title, it would be difficult to obtain from him reliable information as to any general rules of proceeding; for he would at once consider some particular case in which he was himself personally interested, and would give an answer corresponding with his interest therein. This may be due partly to the inaptitude of the Maori to take an abstract view of anything, which has been already noticed^[1]. But it is doubtless from this cause that persons having competent knowledge of their language have expressed different opinions on this subject, founded on information thus obtained.

There are three reliable sources, however, from which such information can be obtained.

1. From Maori narratives, wherein matters relating to their land-titles are incidentally mentioned.
2. From Proverbs relating to the disposition of land among themselves.
3. From investigations of titles to land offered for sale, or when in dispute among themselves.

In the early days of the colony disputes about land

1. p. 5