1.—4

6

Kooti Whakawa Whenua Maori a c mea ana ratou kia tonoa atu kite Kawana kia whakahaua cia taua whakawa tuarua. Tetahi kupu a te Komiti kia tino tupato to whakahaere te whakamana i nga tikanga o te tekihana toru tekau ma toru (33) o "Te Ture Whenua Maori, 1873," mo te ruritanga o nga whenua. Ko te ruritanga o nga wheuua c whakahuatia ana i roto i te pukapuka-inoi he mea mahi kau i runga i te tikanga o nga teihana kahore i haerea nga rohe, ko tenei korenga whakamana i te Ture te take nui pea o te pouritanga. John Brtce, Akuhata 8, 1876. Tumuaki.

Report on the Petition of Anaru Makiwhara and 417 Others. 1. Petitioners pray that the number of Maori members in the House of Representatives be increased. 2. That the Maori members of the Legislative Council be elected by the Maori people. ' 3. That Native Councils be established in the various districts of New Zealand. I am directed to report as follows :— 1. That as a Bill is now before the House having for its object an increase in the representation of the Native race, the Committee do not consider it necessary to make any recommendation on this point. 2. Inasmuch as the nomination of members to the Legislative Council rests with his Excellency the Governor, the Committee do not see their way to make any suggestion in reference to that part of the petition in which it is prayed that the Maori members of that body should be elected by the people. 3. The Committee would beg to recommend to the favourable consideration of the House the request made in the petition for the establishment of Native Councils. John Brtce, 9th August, 1876. Chairman. [Translation.] Te Kupu a te Komiti mo runga i te Pukapuka-inoi a Anaru Makiwhara me ona hoa 417. 1. E tono ana nga Kai-inoi kia whakatokomahatia nga Mema Maori ki roto kite Runanga o nga Rangatira i kowhiria i runga i te pooti a te iwi. 2. Ko nga Mema Maori o te Runanga Whakatakoto Ture me whakatu c te Iwi Maori. 3. Me whakatu he Kaunihera Maori ki roto ki nga takiwa o Niu Tireni. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu kite Whare: — 1. Notemea he Pire kei te aroaro o te Whare inaianei tona tikanga he whakatokomaha i nga Mema Maori, kahore te Komiti c mahara kia whai kupu ratou mo tenei. 2. Inahoki ko te mana mo te whakatu i nga Mema o te Runanga whakatakoto Ture kei te Kawana, kahore te Komiti c marama kite whai kupu mo tera wahi o to pukapuka-inoi c tono nei kia whakaturia nga mema o reira c te iwi. 3. E mea ana te Komiti me titiro pai c te Whare te tono i roto i te pukapuka-inoi kia whakaturia he Kaunihera Maori. John Brtce, Akuhata 9, 1876. Tumuaki.

Report on the Petition of Meha te Moananui and 165 Others. The petitioners state that certain lands at Hauraki have been shut up by the Government, and that they suffer loss and inconvenience in consequence thereof. They pray that the number of Maori members in the House of Representatives be increased, and that the Maori members of the Legislative Council be elected by the Maoris ; they also pray that Maoris may be allowed to sit on juries, aud cite a number of cases which they allege ought to have been tried by a mixed jury. I am directed to report as follows : — 1. That, in the opinion of this Committee, the system of dealing with Native lands, of which the present case is an example, is exceedingly unsatisfactory, and the whole subject requires the most serious consideration of the House. 2. That, as tho subject of increased representation is now before the House, and will doubtless be fully considered, the Committee do not think it necessary to make any recommendation on the subject. And with reference to the prayer of the petitioners, that Maori members of the Legislative Council should be elected, the Committee do not see their way to making any suggestion, inasmuch as the power of nomination rests with the Governor. 3. Iv reference to the right of Maoris to sit on juries, the Committee are of opinion, that " The Juries Act, 1568," makes ample provision for the existing state of things. These provisions had not however been brought into force, and cannot be brought into force until the Governor in exercise of the powers vested in him by the Act shall make certain rules and regulations. The Committee recommend that the provisions of the Act should be put in force, and Maoris be admitted to sit on juries in the limited number of cases specified by the Act. John Brtce, 9th August, 1876. Chairman.