1.—4

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further of opinion that an alteration of the law, in the direction prayed for by the petitioner, would be productive of unfortunate results. They therefore cannot recommend the prayer of the petitioner to the favourable consideration of the House. John Brtce, 15th August, 1876. Chairman. [Translation.] Ko te Kupu a te Komiti mo runga i te Pukapuka-inoi a Frederic Sutton (Pererika Tatana). E ki ana te kai-inoi kua pa he mate ki a ia mo tana korenga kahore i taea c ia te whakaea ona moni i pau i tetahi whakawakanga i tv ai ia i he ai etahi tangata Maori c inoi ana ia kia whakarerea ketia te Ture kia ahei ai nga whenua kua Karauna karaatitia ki nga Maori hei taunga mo nga utu i roto i nga whakawa a tetahi tangata ki tetahi. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu kite Whare :— Xi te whakaaro o te Komiti kahore i whakaturia c te kai-inoi te tika o te ki he mate tona i runga i tenei mea inahoki c kitea ana i runga i nga kupu i whakapuakina i te aroaro o te Komiti i whakaotia i whakaaetia ranei kia whakaotia tetahi Pukapuka whakaaetanga mo nga utu o te whakawa i mua ote whakarongonga ote korero tuarua. A c mahara ana hoki te Komiti mehemea ka whakarerea ketia te Ture kia whakaritea ki runga ki ta te kai-inoi c tono nei, he raruraru te putanga ake. Koia ratou i kore ai c kaha kite tono atu kia whakaarohia paitia cte Whare te tono ate kai-inoi. John Brtce, Akuhata 15, 1876. Tumuaki.

Report on the Petition of Rawiri te Wanui and 14 Others. The petitioners state that a block of land containing 18,600 acres, situated in tho ManawatuRangitikei District, was unjustly taken from them by the late Dr. Featherston, and they pray for the restoration of the same. I am directed to report as follows : — That it appears, from such evidence as the Committee have been able to obtain, that the case was fully heard at the Native Lands Court. The Committee do not see their way to recommend an alteration of the Court's decision. John Brtce, 15th August, 1876. Chairman. [Translation.] KO TE KUPU A TE KOMITI MO RUNGA I TE PuKAPUKA-TNOI A RAWIRI TE WaNUI ME ONA HOA 14. E ki ana nga kai-inoi i tangohia hetia c Takuta Petatone i a ratou, tetahi whenua tona nui 18,600 eka kei waenga nui o Manawatu o Rangitikei a c inoi ana ratou kia whakahokia taua whenua ki a ratou. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu kite Whare: — E kitea ana i runga i nga korero i taea te tiki c te komiti i ata whakarangona nga tikanga o ta ratou tono i to aroaro o te Kooti Whakawa Whenua Maori. Kahore te Komiti c kite i tetahi huarahi ma ratou i whakaarohia ai kia whakarerea ketia te whakataunga a te Kooti. John Brtce, Akuhata 15, 1876. Tumuaki.

Report on the Petition of Moroati Kiharoa and 7 Others. * Petitioners pray that inquiry be made into matters connected with the purchase (by the late Dr. Featherston) of certain land at Manawatu. They object to the sale, on the grounds that the land was not sold by its rightful owners. I am directed to report as follows : —That this is one of the numerous petitions which have been referred to the Committee involving very complicated questions of Native title to land, and that the Committee does not feel competent to make any satisfactory recommendation on the subject, it being a question which should be dealt with by some legal tribunal, capable of making a full inquiry. John Brtce, 23rd August, 1876. Chairman. [Translation.] Ko te Kupu a te Komiti mo runga i te Pukapuka-inoi a Moroati Kiharoa me ona Hoa c 7. E tono ana nga kai-inoi kia kimihia te tikanga o te hokonga a Te Petatone, kua mate tata ake nei, i tetahi whenua kei Manawatu. E whakahe ana ratou kite hoko, eki ana ratou ehara nga tangata nana i hoko i nga tangata no ratou te whenua. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu kite Whare : —Ko tenei tetahi o nga pukapuka-inoi inaka kua tukua mai kite Komiti c whai tikanga ana ki etahi take raruraru o nga Maori kite whenua a kahore te Komiti c kaha kite whai kupu marama mo tenei mea, he mea hoki tenei c tika ana kia kimihia c tetahi tikanga whakawa c kaha ana kite kimi i nga putake katoa. John Brtce, Akuhata 23, 1876. Tumuaki.