REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PETITIONS ON THE PETITIONS OF THE EAST COAST NATIVES, PRAYING THAT THEIR DISTRICT MAY BE ANNEXED TO THE PROVINCE OF HAWKE'S BAY.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1866 Session I, F-11a

F.-No. 11A.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PETITIONS ON THE PETITIONS OF THE EAST COAST NATIVES, PRAYING THAT THEIR DISTRICT MAY BE ANNEXED TO THE PROVINCE OF HAWKE'S BAY.

BROUGHT lIP 14th AUGUST, 1866, AND OEDEEED TO BE PEINTED.

WELLINGTON.

1866.

F.—No. 3.

EEPOET on the Petition of 510 East Coast Natiyes. The Committee direct me to report that the names of five hundred and ten persons are attached to the Petition, the prayer of which is that some portions of the landed estate of the Petitioners is included in the Auckland Province, while another portion is included in the Hawke's Bay Province ; and they pray that the whole of their lands should be annexed to the latter Province. lam directed to add that the Committee have taken evidence respecting the mode in which the signatures of the Petitioners were affixed to the Petition, a copy of which is attached. J. Cbaceoft Wilson, C.8., Chairman. EEPOET on the Petition of 1,400 East Coast Natives. The Committee direct me to report that the names of one thousand four hundred persons are attached to the Petition, the prayer of which is that the district comprised between Lotion Point and the present boundary of the Hawke's Bay District may be transferred from the Province of Auckland and annexed to the Province of Hawke's Bay. I am directed to add that the Committee have taken evidence respecting the mode in which the signatures of the Petitioners were affixed to the Petition, a copy of which evidence is attached to this Eeport. J. Ckacroft "Wilson, C.8., Chairman.

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE. His Honor the Superintendent of Napier called in and examined. I.— Mr. Cracroft Wilson, C.8.~] Can you explain the manner in which the signatures were obtained to these petitions from the Natives on the East Coast which bear the marks, the one 1,400 signatures, the other 510 ? I hand, in for the information of the Committee two letters which I have received with the Petitions, explanatory of the method in which the signatures were, speaking generally, attached to the Petitions, the one from a settler of Poverty Bay, named Wyllie, the other from a Chief of large influence on the East Coast (Bopata) in which he states the places at which the petitions were signed. Ropata's letter was then translated by Mr. McLean. 2.] Can you tell the Committee who Panapa is, who addressed the letter to Mr. Rice, handed in to the Committee by Mr. Newman, and to what tribe he (Panapa) belongs ? Panapa is a young man of the To Aitanga-mahiki tribe, one of the 15 men allowed to remain in the country, the remainder of the tribe having been sent to the Chatham Islands. 3.] Is there anything unusual in a Maori Chief signing any document on the part of the different members of his tribe ? If the signing takes place openly it is usual for the tribe even to ask the Chief to sign for the individual members of the tribe. 1. — Mr. Newman^ Do you not think that you have sufficient influence over the Natives who have signed this petition to induce them to sign any document you may wish to present to the Assembly in favor of the Europeans resident in Hawke's Bay P I do not consider that I have that influence, nor do I believe that the Natives would sign any document of the nature of this Petition

REPORT ON THE PETITIONS OF THE EAST COAST NATIVES.

F.—No. 3.

unless it was quite in accordance with their own wishes; in fact they arc exceedingly tenacious of signing their names to documents of this nature, which form the subject of public discussion among themselves, unless they have good reasons for doing so. 2.] How long has the subject of annexation to Hawke's Bay been the subject of discussion amongst the Petitioners ? Between two and three years ; —that is to say public discussion. I believe partial discussion on this subject commenced at an earlier period, and I think the first formal act in the matter was on the part of the Europeans of the district. I.— Mr. Parker.'] How many Europeans reside in that part of the country ? More than 100; perhaps 150. 2.] Is there any natural boundary lines separating the portion of country inhabited by the people who petition to be annexed to Hawke's Bay from the rest of the country forming the Province of Auckland ? There is a high mountainous and impassable range running through the country, forming as it were a backbone along the Buahino mountains at the back of the Province of Hawke's Bay, on the Lotion Point, where it abuts upon the sea, and entirely disconnects this district from the rest of the Province of Auckland. The people residing on the South-east of this range are of one tribe, and they are the Petitioners. They have different tribal names, but they originally came to New Zealand in one canoe, and they consider themselves one people. The witness then withdrew. Panapa called in and examined. Mr. Puckey, Interpreter to the Native Department, attended for the purposo of interpreting the evidence. 1. — Mr. Cracroft Wilson, C.U.] Did you write this letter? (The letter handed in by Mr. Newman was shown to Panapa.) Tes? 2.] Is it anything unusual when a Native Chief has got the consent of his people to any document for him to sign the document on the part of his people so consenting ? They often do so. 3.] What then was the object in writing this letter ? Mr. Eice asked me who wrote the Petition from the Natives of Turanga, and I then wrote the letter to Mr. Eice. 4.] Did Mr. Eice request you to write this letter ? Mr. Eice did not request me to write the letter which I wrote to him. 5.] Do the people whose names are affixed know of the prayer of the Petition, and were their names attached by their knowledge and consent? Some knew and some did not. Some were present and consenting; others were absent, and though they knew that a Petition was being got up they did not know that their names were attached. 6.] Where do you reside, and to what tribe do you belong? Aitangaamahaki; I belong to this tribe, and I reside at Turanga. 7.] Did you sign the petition, or did you refuse to sign it ? I did not sign it. I was not .asked to sign it. B,] With what object did you come to Wellington on the present occasion ? Mr. Eice and the Superintendent of Auckland can tell that. 9.] Have any portion of your tribe been sent to the Chatham Islands ? Nearly all have been sent there. 10.] How do you know that some of the people whose signatures are attached to the Petition were not consenting to the prayer of the Petition, and ignorant that their names have been attached to it ? Because they were absent. 11.] Can you tell the Committee the name of any person whose signature is attached to the Petition, and who is ignorant of the prayer of the Petition, and that his name has been attached to it ? Haera is the name of one. Tamati is the name of another. Himiona is the name of a third. 12.] Where do they reside, and to what tribe do they belong? These three men belong to my tribe, and they reside at my village of Tutuokoroheke. 13.] Do you know that any European was engaged in getting up this Petition ? Ido ; one, (alluding to the petition of 1400 signatures) his name is Wyllie. 14.] Is there any other person, not of your own tribe, whose name is affixed to the Petition, and who is ignorant both of the prayer of the Petition, and that his name has been attached to it ? I know of none except the men before mentioned, and belonging to my tribe. 15.] Who wrote the names of the three men mentioned by you ? Wi Pere, of Poverty Bay ; he is a half-caste. The witness then withdrew. Paoba Porau called in and examined. I.— Mr. Cracrqfl Wilson, C.8.~] What is your name, and where do you reside ? Paora Porau, and 1 live at Turanga. 2.] Do you know this Petition and its contents ? Tes. 8.1 Is your name attached to it ? Tes. 4.] Did you write the names of your own people ? I wrote the nanles of 44 of my people, they touching the pen. 5.] Did you do so with their consent and knowledge ? Tes, we had a meeting on the subject and they all consented. 6.] Will you state whether the prayer of the Petition is generally known of on the East Coast and approved by the people ? Tes. 7.] Is it the Native custom or not for the Chief to sign a document such as this Petition on behalf of his people ? That is our own way of doing it. B.] Did you come here with Mr. Eice ? I did. 9.] Have Panapa and you received money from Mr. Eice since you have been here ? We hare all received money.

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PETITIONS OF THE EAST COAST NATIVES.

F.—No. 3.

10.] Did AVi Pere write the names of most of the people of Turanga ? lam not quite sure but Wi Pere did. 11.] Do you know personally that the people in Poverty Bay consent to the prayer of the Petition ? Yes. This is the second year we have tried to carry this point. 12.] Do you know Hoera, Tamati, and Himiona, of the village of Tutuokoroheke, and of the tribe of Aitangaamahaiki ? Ido know them well. They are related to the same tribe as that to which I belong. 13.] Do you know that their names are attached to this Petition ? I was not there at the signing of the names. 14.] Were any Europeans assisting in getting up this Petition, either last year or this ? Wyllie. this last year, and the year before the Bishop of Waiapu. The witness then withdrew. Mr. Rice next called in and examined. I.— Mr, Cracrqft Wilson, G.B.] What is your profession ? lam Agent to the Provincial Government of Auckland. 2.] What agency do you conduct ? Up to the month of May last I was an Officer of the General Government, and I was Interpreter to the Forces at Tauranga. By letter from Colonel Haultain I ceased at that time to be a servant of the General Government, and since that date I have been an Agent under the Provincial Government of Auckland, and I have been posted to the Poverty Bay District, and I still hold the Governor's Commission as Resident Magistrate and Justice of the Peace, but I have been appointed to no specific district. 3.] What brought you to Wellington ? I came under the orders of Mr. Whitaker, the Superintendent of Auckland. 4.] What has been your general occupation at Poverty Bay since you went there ? I have been inland to the Petroleum Springs ; and I have been investigating the title to those springs, and obtaining general information to the surrounding country. 5.] Do you know anything about these Petitions ? I believe I have seen some of the sheets forming this Petition (1400 signatures), and I am aware that Petitions were in preparation at Turanga and the surrounding country. G.] Were you ever present when the Natives were signing these Petitions ? I never was present. On one occasion Wi Pere, of Turanga, showed me some sheets of this Petition. 7.] Can you tell the Committee what means the Natives adopted to obtain signatures to the Petition from Poverty Bay praying for annexation to the Province of Hawke's Bay ? I saw a Native named Wi Pera carrying round a Petition for signature. B.] Do you know how the signatures were attached to the Petition ? Only from what I was told by the Natives. 9.] Is it usual for the chief to sign for each Native in the tribe when they have to execute documents of importance ? Only in cases where men cannot write themselves. 10.] Do you know any Europeans who have taken an active part in receiving signatures to the Petition referred to ? I know of two, Captain Eeed and Mr. Wyllie, settlers in the district. The latter was Interpreter to the Forces during the disturbances in the district. 11.] Did you consider they used any improper means in obtaining signatures ? I heard them asking the Natives whether they were going to sign the Petition or not. 12.] Was any Petition prepared by Mr. Wyllie for the Natives' signature on this subject ? Mr. Wyllie showed me a Petition that he had prepared, but told me that the promoters of the Petition thought it better that it should emanate from the Natives themselves. That document was therefore not used. 1. Mr. Ormond.'] You say that you are Agent to the Auckland Provincial Government, were you instructed to use your influence with the Natives to prevent their petitioning for the separation of their district from the Province of Auckland ? I was not. 2.] Have you paid money advances to the Natives of that district; if so, for what purposes ? I have made advances to the Natives with reference to their rights in connection with the Petroleum Springs. 3.] Was this done as Agent for the Auckland Government ? Yes, it was. 4. Do you know the Native Panapa, and is he now in Wellington ? Yes. 5. Did he come here at your instigation ? Yes. 6/ Did he write this letter at your request ? No. 7.] What led Panapa, in your opinion, to write this letter ? He gave me the letter after a conversation I had with him. B.] At whose expense did Panapa, Paora Porau, and the other Natives, who came with you, come to Wellington; and is this expense borne by the Auckland Government ? The Natives in question came with me to receive advances on account of the rent of the Petroleum Springs. lam at present ignorant whether the Natives or the Auckland Government will ultimately bear the expense ; but, in the meantime, the Auckland Government have supplied me with the funds necessary for bringing these Natives to Wellington. 9.] Is Panapa one of the people who has received money payment on account of these springs ? Panapa is one of the people who has received money payments on account of the springs; but he had not received any money payments when he gave me the letter above alluded to. 10.] Has he received money on no other account from you, jjrior to, or since the date of the letter in question ? He has received money from me on account of passage and for food. 11.] Would not the dependence of Panapa upon you for support influence his evidence touching the Petition ? Not in the slightest. The other two Natives are also dependent upon me. Witness then withdrew.

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PETITIONS OF THE EAST COAST NATIVES