37

L—2

[Translation.] No. 444. —Pukapuka-inoi a Wiremu Eawiri te Awha. E inoi ana te kai-pitihana kia tukuna tetahi pahi mona i rungo i nga Beriwe mo nga ra katoa c ora ai ia a muri ake nei no te mea kahore ia c ahei te mahi i tetahi moni mana hei atu mo te haerenga i runga i nga Beriwe me ka hiahia ia kite haere. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei: Kahore he Kupu ate Komiti no runga i tenei tone. 8 o Akuhata, 1886.

No. 44. —Petition of Wieemu te Aho and Others. Petitionees state that a piece of land situated at Kohanga, Waikato, called Te Kekenga, was granted to Nini Potaua Kukutai and Hori Kukutai for services rendered during the war. They say there are sixty of them belonging to the tribe, who also took up arms in support of the Government, who are equally entitled to a share in that land. They pray that the grant may be altered accordingly. lam directed to report as follows: That there is reason to believe, from letters sent from the Auckland Native Land Court Office to the Ngatitipa in 1878 and 1880, and produced in evidence, that originally it was intended that the whole tribe should share in the advantages of this grant, though only the names of Hori Kukutai and N. P. Kukutai are included in the Crown grant as tenants in common. The case can only be met by legislation. Government is recommended tomake careful inquiry into the circumstances of the case, and try to redress the grievance if it exists..

6th August, 1886. [Teanslation.] No. 44.—Pukapuka-inoi a Wiremu te Aho me etahi atu. E ki ana nga kai-pitihana i karaatitia tetahi pihi whenua i te Kakenga, Waikato, kia Nini Potaua Kukutai me Hori Kukutai mo ta raua mahi ite wa c whawhai ana. Eki ana ratou c ono tekau o to ratou iwi i uru kite tautoko i te Kawanatanga a c tika ana hoki kia riro i a ratou tetahi hea o taua whenua. E inoi ana ratou kia wahia taua karaati. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei: E whakaarohia ana i runga i tetahi puka-puka i tukuna atu c te Tari Kooti Whenua Maori i Akarana kia Ngatitipa i te tau 1875, me te tau 1880 a i tukuna mai ano hoki kite aroaro o te Komiti kia korerotia, kitea ana i meatia i te tuatahi kia whai take te iwi katoa ki taua whenua na ahakoa ko nga ingoa anake o Hori Kukutai Me Nini Potaua Kukutai c mau ana i roto i te Karati i runga i te tenata kamana Heoi ma te hanga marire i tetahi Ture c tae ai te whakarite i tenei take. E tonoa ana te Kawanatanga kia whiriwhiria tenei take ame whakamatau kite whakaora i tenei mate aia kite mea tera tetahi mate. 6 o Akuhata, 1886.

No. 378, 1885; No. 264, 1886; No. 165, 1886; No. 106, 1885 ; No. 19, 1886; and No. 410, 1885.—Petitions of Harete Tamihana and Others, Eutene te Umanga and Others, Whiti Patato and Others, Te Wharepu te Whakaete and Others, We Kaukiuta Patato and Others, and Wi te Wheoeo and Others. Petitioners pray that the Parliament should grant a Boyal Commission to inquire into the administration of the Native Land Court, as well as of the Assessor; that a rehearing should be granted on the subdivisions of Maungatautari; that the judgment of the Court as to survey costs shall be made void, and that Bewi shall be ordered to pay the survey; that the Native Land Court should be abolished, as every Native who consents to his land being adjudicated upon by this Court obtains no benefit therefrom; that Parliament should not consent to the Native Lands Disposition Bill becoming law. I am directed to report as follows: That this Committee cannot pronounce upon the merits of the judgment of the Land Court, which seems to have been regular; but, there is no doubt that the Native Assessor received money during the proceedings from a European interested in the purchase of the land. This was, it is alleged, by way of loan, which is possible, though the circumstances are open to grave suspicion. The Committee consider that the action of an Assessor should be above suspicion, and that the Government should strictly look after the official conduct of so important an officer, who is virtually a Judge, with a view to secure its purity. It should not hesitate to act with firmness, and dismiss officials who cannot be fully trusted. In this case Government appointed a Commissioner to examine into it; but, strangely, Waata Tipa, though asked, did not appear to defend or explain his action. The Government should at once address itself to the question whether he should be continued as an Assessor. 10th August, 1886.

[Translation.] No. 378, 1885; No. 264, 1886; No. 165, 1886; No. 106, 1885; No. 19, 1886; and No. 410, 1885.—Pukapuka-inoi a Harete Tamihana me etahi atu, Eutene te Umanga me etahi atu, Whiti Patato me etahi atu, Te Wharepu te Whakaete me etahi atu, Wi Kaukiuta Patato me etahi atu, Wi te Wheoro me etahi atu. E inoi ana nga kai-pitihana kia whakaturi tetahi Komihana hei hurihuri i nga whakahaere a te Kooti Whenua Maori me te Ateha hoki. Kia whakaaetia te tono whakawa tuarua mo runga i nga wehewehenga o Maungatautari. Ko te whakataunga ate Kooti mo runga i nga utu o nga ruri me whakakore ame whakatau kia utua c Eewi nga utu o nga ruri. Me whakakore atu te Kooti Whenua Maori no te mea kahore he painga c riro mai ana i nga Maori c whakaae ana kia whakawakia o ratou whenua etc Kooti. Me kaua te Paremete c whakaae kia paahi te Pire Tuku Whenua Maori hei Ture. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei: Kahore c ahei te Komiti te whai kupu mo runga i nga whakataunga ate Kooti Whenua kite titiro atu c tika ana ano nga whakahaere Otiia kahore i raruraru