Cook Islands Law Reports / CILCR
CILCR: Cook Islands Land Court Reports, 1902 to 1965
The decisions and evidence of the Land Titles Court and the Land Court of the Cook Islands, from Walter Gudgeon’s first sittings at Avarua in 1903 to 1965, taken from the Rarotonga and outer-island minute books. Decisions of importance are reported as the volumes of the series reach them; each minute book’s own index of lands is given, so that a land can be found in the book before its cases are reported. Cited by minute book and page: (1912) 5 MB 167A.
Each index of lands is transcribed from the book’s handwritten index. Where a name is marked as uncertain, readers who know it are asked to tell us through Have your say.
On this page
The reports, in order of the minute book
| Citation | Land | Decided | Judge | Headnote | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (1912) 5 MB 167A | Avatiu lands | 1912 | MacCormick | The 1823 return “as if there had been no conquest”; the mata‘iapo never driven out | Pages |
| (1937) 12 MB 232 | Parako section 134 | 5 May 1937 | Ayson CJ | No jurisdiction to re-open a sealed order unless fraud is proved (ss 390, 391, 414); application to re-open the 1908 investigation dismissed; Tuokura confirmed as Tairi te Rangi. Report with the hearing and the Ngāti Arera genealogies attached | Report |
| (1953) 22 MB 78 | Taputapuatea sections 72, 39, 40 and 72A, Avarua | 24 April 1953 | Morgan | Nothing connects the Makea with Taputapuatea in ancient history; no defined districts until Pa fixed the boundaries | Pages |
The minute-book pages held, with transcriptions
Rarotonga Minute Book 5 (1912), the Avatiu case: pp. 101–200, 238, 243–244, 285
pp. 101–150: Raea Rupe at 116–117, Vaikai Maoate at 121–122 · pp. 151–200: Vaikai Maoate at 162, Judge MacCormick’s decision at 167A–167C · pp. 238, 243–244 and 285: Parakoti, cross-examined by Savage; Pa Ariki (pp. 261–267, Stephen Savage, 2–3 May 1912, to follow)
Raea Rupe (pp. 116–117, “the mata‘iapo were never driven out”), Vaikai Maoate (pp. 121–122, 162, the war over Kainuku’s wife Akaiti), Parakoti (p. 238) and Pa Ariki (p. 285) on Makea Takau’s parents, and Stephen Savage (p. 267, 3 May 1912, “Vakaatini was not a son of Te Paatuakino”; the court: “very singular … immaterial”). Judge MacCormick’s decision of 1912 is cited as (1912) 5 MB 167A.
The decision is entered in the reports above as (1912) 5 MB 167A. Relied on in the Makea Nui Ariki title applications of 2026: the documents, on the Research page.
Rarotonga Minute Book 7: p. 88 (1913), the Arera Ariki genealogy sworn by Pittman; pp. 325–332 (25 October 1916), the Makea genealogies given by Paaro, with pp. 329A and 331A
pp. 325–332 (PDF) · p. 331A on its own · p. 88
Page 331A is the Makea Nui genealogy from Karika that Browne showed in 1949 to be impossible. Page 325 (14 October 1916) on succession by native custom where a name was put in a title as a gift.
Entered in the reports above as (1913) 7 MB 88 and (1916) 7 MB 325. Relied on in the Makea Nui Ariki title applications of 2026: the documents, on the Research page.
Rarotonga Minute Book 12: p. 183 and the exhibits glued after it (29 April 1937), Vaike Ruariki’s Arera genealogy; pp. 289–291 (2–3 May 1939), Willie Parau Browne’s genealogy of the Putua line, Re Makea Ariki
pp. 289–290 (PDF) · as a document, with the chart · the chart
On 3 May 1939 Browne withdrew his claim to the Makea arikiship “considering public interests” and gave his genealogy on oath to show he was “one of Kopu Ariki”; he stated that “Pa Atuakino was an adopted son of Rangi Makea”. The court recorded that the position of titles in relation to long occupation of lands applies equally to an ariki title. The transcription of pp. 289–290 and the Vaike Ruariki exhibits, with the photographs of every page, are on the Volume One archive, Chapter 5, sections 19.5 and 19.6.
Entered in the reports above as (1939) 12 MB 289. Relied on in the Makea Nui Ariki title applications of 2026: the documents, on the Research page.
Rarotonga Minute Book 15, pp. 117–124 (12–13 January 1943): Vaike Ruariki’s genealogy from Arera Ukarau, Ikurangi section 131; the Tamaiva title
Entered in the reports above as (1943) 15 MB 117. Relied on in the Makea Nui Ariki title applications of 2026: the documents, on the Research page.
Rarotonga Minute Book 22, pp. 78–89 (24 April 1953): Judge H. J. Morgan, Taputapuatea sections 72, 39, 40 and 72A, Avarua
The decision whole, eight pages (PDF) · the passages as printed in the first edition
Nothing connects the Makea with Taputapuatea in ancient history; no defined tribal districts until Pa fixed the boundaries just before the Gospel. Cited as (1953) 22 MB 78.
Entered in the reports above as (1953) 22 MB 78. Relied on in the Makea Nui Ariki title applications of 2026: the documents, on the Research page.
Aitutaki Minute Book 12, p. 63 (19 May 1947): Tupou Tiraa before Judge Morgan, Toenae section 63
A Pa ariki married Vaieturangi; their children Pa Te Ruaroa and Moeavaroa; Moeavaroa married Po te Anuanua called Tuakino; their children Taitua, Te Pa Tuakino and Te Tauira; Taitua’s line in Aitutaki to the witness.
Entered in the reports above as (1947) Aitutaki 12 MB 63. Relied on in the Makea Nui Ariki title applications of 2026: the documents, on the Research page.
Rarotonga Minute Book 1, 2 April 1903 to 18 April 1905: the index of lands
| Land or matter, as written | Pages in Minute Book 1 | Note | Report |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | |||
| Arakuo Karika | 3, 20, 28 | reading uncertain | Not yet reported |
| Arakuo Makea | 4, 145 | reading uncertain | Not yet reported |
| Arorangi boundary | 10 | Not yet reported | |
| Arepaaki | 18, 47 | Not yet reported | |
| Araiava | 18 | Not yet reported | |
| Arapaonga | 19 | Not yet reported | |
| Akaoa | 47, 50, 59–69, 150, 188 | Not yet reported | |
| Avaavaroa, section 8 | 74, 139, 143 | Not yet reported | |
| Avaavaroa, section 9 | 75, 139 | Not yet reported | |
| Avaavaroa, section 10 | 77, 139 | Not yet reported | |
| Avaavaroa, section 11 | 78, 139 | Not yet reported | |
| Avaavaroa, section 12 | 78, 139 | Not yet reported | |
| Avaavaroa, section 13 | 79, 90, 139 | Not yet reported | |
| Avaavaroa, section 14 | 78, 174, 139 | Not yet reported | |
| Avaavaroa, section 15 | 79, 174, 139 | Not yet reported | |
| Avaavaroa, section 16 | 78, 174, 139 | Not yet reported | |
| Avaavaroa, section 17 | 107, 119, 136, 139, 244 | Not yet reported | |
| Avaavaroa, section 17A | 138 (178), 139, 244 | Not yet reported | |
| Avaavaroa, section 18 | 139, 193, 211, 224, 242 | Not yet reported | |
| Avaavaroa, section 19 | 79, 193, 139 | Not yet reported | |
| Avaavaroa, section 20 | 79, 139 | Not yet reported | |
| Arakuo Karika ki Uta | 85, 141 | reading uncertain | Not yet reported |
| Arerenga | 67, 150 | Not yet reported | |
| Angaroa | 173 | Not yet reported | |
| Te Aratapu, Beach Road | 192 | Not yet reported | |
| Areiti | 196, 301 | Not yet reported | |
| Arepua | 197 | Not yet reported | |
| Aroa | 197, 253 | Not yet reported | |
| Akapuao | 249, 265 | Not yet reported | |
| Aroka | 284 | Not yet reported | |
| Aretumu | 309, 313, 329 | Not yet reported | |
| Anautangata | 310, 313, 330 | Not yet reported | |
| Arakeke | 378 | Not yet reported | |
| B | |||
| Beach Reserve | 146 | Not yet reported | |
| Beach Road | 192 | Not yet reported | |
| C | |||
| Cricket Club lease | 195 | Not yet reported | |
| E | |||
| Enua Kura | 19 | Not yet reported | |
| Enua o Keu | 173 | Not yet reported | |
| Ereka | 190 | Not yet reported | |
| I | |||
| Iipula | 74 | reading uncertain | Not yet reported |
| K | |||
| Karika, will of | 1 | Not yet reported | |
| Katoti | 2, 29, 70, 71 | Not yet reported | |
| Koeanga | 14, 27 | Not yet reported | |
| Koteanu | 196 | reading uncertain | Not yet reported |
| Kaopuleroa | 196 | reading uncertain | Not yet reported |
| Konati | 253 | Not yet reported | |
| Karaii | 266, 280, 293, 300 | Not yet reported | |
| Te Kauarikirangi | 337, 344, 345 | Not yet reported | |
| Kaviri | 382 | Not yet reported | |
| M | |||
| Moringa | 21 | Not yet reported | |
| Mission (LMS) lands | 92 | Not yet reported | |
| Matavai | 196 | Not yet reported | |
| Mangaiti Kairoa | 306, 313, 329, 346 | second word uncertain | Not yet reported |
| Manuae | 310, 313, 330 | Not yet reported | |
| Te Matepo | 335 | Not yet reported | |
| N | |||
| Nauparotoa | 60, 335 | Not yet reported | |
| Te Nutuilai | 289, 295, 300 | reading uncertain | Not yet reported |
| Nukupure | 301, 303 | Not yet reported | |
| Ngaruveli | 378, 381 | reading uncertain | Not yet reported |
| P | |||
| Papaaroa | 5, 11, 22, 69 | Not yet reported | |
| Puaao | 19 | Not yet reported | |
| Parai | 19 | Not yet reported | |
| Pakua | 43 | Not yet reported | |
| Pukutapu | 187, 253 | Not yet reported | |
| Te Puna | 3 | Not yet reported | |
| Punaroto | 330 | Not yet reported | |
| Te Piri | 368, 372, 379 | Not yet reported | |
| R | |||
| Rautara | 2 | Not yet reported | |
| Rarokawa | 368 | Not yet reported | |
| Te Ruakina | 378, 381 | Not yet reported | |
Index pages photographed in the Cook Islands Land Court, Rarotonga; the letters A, B, C, E, I, K, M, N, P and R are the pages the book’s index carries entries for. Page last changed 25 October 2026.
Cook Islands Customary Law
The customary law, history and land of the Southern Cook Islands, from the records and from the people who kept them.



