1.-3.

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raua kihai o raua take i kimihia c te Kooti Whakawa mo nga whenua i tangohia i noho nei i te tau 1866, muri iho ka whakaaria te moni ki a raua c £200 kihai i toro atu o raua ringa he iti no taua moni ki to raua whakaaro. E t jno ana raua kia tino uiuia te tikanga o a raua tono, a kia utua hoki ki a raua tetahi utu tika. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu kite Whare : — Kua kitea c te Komiti kua kimihia nga tikanga o tenei tono c te Kawanatanga, a kua whakaaria ki a raua te moni c £200 hei whakaea i o raua take. E kore te Komiti c kaha kite tino uiui i nga tikanga o tenei mea a ki to ratou whakaaro ma te Kawanatanga c whakarite he tikanga. Oketopa 10, 1878.

Whakatane Grants Validation Bill. TnE Native Affairs Committee, to whom was referred the Whakatane Grants Validation Bill, by order of reference, 7th October, 1878, having fully considered the Whakatane Grants Validation Bill, and taken the evidence of the Hon. J. Sheehan, Mr. Clarke, and the Hon. Colonel Whitmore, are of opinion that, whereas some of the lands included in the schedule to the Bill have already been dealt with, and the sanction of the Crown obtained to the dealings therewith, it is desirable, as involving the good faith of the Crown, that the Bill should be passed ; and, further, this Committee is of opinion that, in this and similar cases of reserves held in trust, no dealing by sale or lease should be sanctioned in future unless after public notice and as the result of public tender or auction; and that no leases should be for a longer period than twenty-one years. Also, that due provision should be made for the registration of the names of all persons concerned in the trusts, and for the appointing of trustees to take the place of those who may be removed by death. 10th October, 1878.

[Translation.] Te Ture Whakamana i nga Kaeauna Karaati o Whakatane. I tukua tenei Ture kite Komiti mo nga mea Maori i te 7 o nga ra o Oketopa, 1878, a i runga i ta ratou ata whiriwhiringa i nga tikanga katoa o taua Ture, me ta ratou uiuinga hoki ki a Te Hiana, ki a Te Karaka, ki a Kanara Witimoa, c whakaaro ana ratou me whakamana tenei Ture notemea kua oti nga tikanga mo etahi o enei whenua kua whakaaetia hoki c te Kawanatanga ekore hoki c marama kia takahia te mea i whakaaetia c to Kawanatanga i te ra c whiti ana ; a c whakaaro ana hoki tenei Komiti i runga i te tikanga o tenei me etahi atu whenua c puritia ana i runga i te tikanga tiaki me matua panui i runga ite tikanga karangaranga katahi ka marama kia whakaaetia te hoko te reti ranei; a kaua c roa ake nga tau c whai mana ai tetahi riihi ite rua tekau ma tahi tau. A, me tuhituhi hoki nga ingoa o nga tangata c whai tikanga ana ki aua whenua me whakarite hoki he tikanga c mana ai te whakatu riiwhi mo nga kai-tiaki ana mate ratou. Oketopa 10, 1878.

No. 246.—Petition of Areka Manahi te Ratu and Others. Petitioners ask for the restoration to them of a piece of land called Papaahina, in the County of Manukau. They state that the acquisition of that piece of laud by the Government was entirely wrong, and that the decision of the Court in 1866 was equally so. The petitioners allege that they were told, during the time of the late Government, that they would be justified in applying for a rehearing of their case ; but the result has been nothing but " Taihoa" to the end of the chapter. They pray that their case may be heard before the Native Land Court. I am directed to report that the Committee are of opinion that the petition be referred to the Government for further inquiry. 14th October, 1878.

[Tbanslation.] Te Pukapuka-inoi a Areka Manahi te Ratu ma. E tono ana nga kai-inoi kia whakahokia ki a ratou tetahi whenua ko Papaahina te ingoa i te takiwa ki Manukau. E ki ana ratou ihe rawa te hokonga o taua whenua etc Kawanatanga ai he hoki to whakataunga aTe Kooti ite tau 1866. E ki ana nga kai-inoi itewa c tv ana tera Kawanatanga i kiia ki a ratou ka tika kia tono ratou kia whakawakia tuaruatia ta ratou tono; engari he taihoa tonu te tukunga iho. E tono ana ratou kia tv he whakawa ite aroaro ote Kooti Whenua Maori. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu kite Whare: — E whakaaro ana te Komiti me tuku atu tenei pukapuka-inoi kite Kawanatanga kia uiuia ano nga tikanga. Oketopa 14,1878.

No. 268. —Petition of Aeama Kaeaka and Others. The petitioners pray for a rehearing of their claim to the Haehaenga Block, which was decided against them recently at a sitting of the Native Land Court at Maketu; and set forth the reasons why such rehearing should be granted. I am directed to report that the application for a rehearing made by the petitioners has been refused by the Government, on the ground that the hearing of tho claims set forth in the petition has been full and complete. The Committee have no reason to suppose that the decision of the Government has been improper, and cannot therefore recommend the prayer of the petitioners to the favourable consideration of the House. 14th October, 1878.