1.—3

40

Eepoet on Petition of Ihakara Tukumaeu and Others. Tnis petition is signed by 51 Natives, and appears to express the views of a large meeting of Natives held last year, and also the substance of resolutions arrived at by a meeting held more recently. The petitioners express an opinion that it is desirable that meetings of Native Chiefs should frequently be held to discuss matters affecting the Native race, aud think that the number of Native representatives in the General Assembly should be greatly increased. They complain of confusion in tho existing Native Lands Act, as well as in the operations conducted under it, and pray for its repeal. In asking that a better Act be passed, they state their belief that the Judges should have the same status as in other Courts, and be free from the control of the Government. I am directed to report as follows :— 1. That the various interesting matters referred to in this petition are deserving of the careful consideration of the House, but the Committee do not deem it necessary to make specific recommendations in relation to the numerous political opinions expressed by the petitioners. 2. That, inasmuch as the petition throws great light upon the opinions of the Natives as to the shape which should be given to legislation upon Native lands, the Committee would recommend that the petition be printed. 3. In recommending that the petition be printed, the Committee desire to express their disapproval of the insertion therein of that portion of it which reflects upon the character of a member of this House, and hopes that in future Maoris petitioning the Legislature will refrain from making such reflections. John Bryce, sth November, 1877. Chairman.

[Translation.] Ko te kupu a te Komiti mo eunga i te Pukapuka-inoi a Ihakara Tukumaru ma. E 51 nga Maori na ratou i tuhituhi tenei pukapuka-inoi, he whakaatu mai i nga whakaaro o tetahi hui nui o nga Maori i turia i tera tau; me etahi putake hoki i oti i tetahi hui i muri ake nei. Eki ana nga kai-inoi he mea pai kia huihui nga Eangatira Maori kite korero i nga mea c tau ana kite iwi Maori; c whakaaro ana ratou kia whakatokomahatia nga Mema Maori ki roto kite Eunanga Nui. E whakaatu ana ratou i to ratou pouri mo te raruraru o Te Ture Whenua Maori o naianei, me nga mea i mahia i runga i nga tikanga o taua Ture a c inoi ana ratou kia whakakorea atu. I runga ita ratou tono kia mahia tetahi Ture pai atu c whakaatu ana ratou i to ratou whakaaro kia rite tonu te tv o nga Kaiwhakarite Whakawa ki nga Kai-whakarite Whakawa o era atu Kooti, kia kaua he mana a te Kawanatanga c tau ki a ratou. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu ahau kite Whare: — He mea pai kia ata whiriwhiria c te Whare nga korero whai tikanga c whakahuatia ana i roto i nga pukapuka-inoi, engari kahore te Komiti i whakaaro he mahi tuturu ma ratou kia whai kupu tohutohu ratou mo nga mea maha c tau ana ki nga tikanga whakahaere c whakahuatia ana c nga kai-inoi. Inahoki he nui te whakamarama o te pukapuka-inoi i vga whakaaro o nga Maori mo te ahua mo nga Ture c tau ana ki nga Whenua Maori c mea atu ana te Komiti he mea pai kia taia te Pukapukainoi. I runga i ta ratou tohutohu atu kia taia te pukapuka-inoi c whakaputa ana te Komiti i ta ratou whakahe mo te kupu o taua pukapuka-inoi c anga whakahe ana ki tetahi Mema o tenei Whare, a c tumauako ana to ratou whakaaro ka kore nga Maori c whakahua i aua tv kupu ma tuku pukapuka-inoi etahratou kite Eunanga. John Beyce, Nowema 5, 1877. Tumuaki.

Eepoet on Petition of Te Hapuku and 108 Othees. The petitioners state that more than fifteen years ago tho chiefs and people of Te Aute, in Hawke's Bay, gave between three and four thousand acres of land to be invested in trustees for the establishment and maintenance of a school for the benefit of tho Maori tribes, and that Sir George Grey, the then Governor of the colon} r, set apart for the same purpose an adjoining block of land, making in all seven thousand five hundred acres. The petitioners go on to say that in 1855 a school was started by the Eev. S. Williams, but that, owing to management which they consider objectionable, the attendance decreased until the school had to be closed ; that within the last three years the school has been reopened, but that the children attending are mostly from tribes at a distance, which the petitioners consider wrong, as the land was intended to be set apart for the benefit of the Ahuriri Natives. The petitioners further allege that the rent paid by the Eev. S. Williams has been insufficient, and they suggest that the land should be divided into smaller blocks and let by auction, so that a fair rent might be obtained without concealment; and they pray that means may be adopted for securing generally better management for the future. I am directed to report as follows: — That the Committee have inquired into the allegations made in this petition with greater care than might have been necessary had it not been for the unusual interest which appears to be taken locally in the subject. They have examined as witnesses Mr. Takamoana, M.H.E.; Mr. Henare Matua, of Hawke's Bay; Mr. Grace, Native Interpreter, of Hawke's Bay; and the Eev. Mr. Williams, ho is in charge of the Te Aute School. The Committee have also attentively perused the printed port of the evidence on the same subject taken during the present session by a Select Committee of c Legislative Council, and have moreover carefully considered the valuable report on the Te Aute ative School or College Trust Estate made by a Eoyal Commission in 1869, which, together with the