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Report on the Petition of Manihera te Rangitakaiwaho and Others of Wairarapa. This is a petition from Natives of the Wairarapa, complaining that their lake, Wairarapa, has been improperly purchased by the Government Commissioners, inasmuch as the majority of the chiefs and their hapus objected to the sale of the same. They state that, in land sales, this lake has always been set aside as a reserve for the Natives. I am directed to report as follows: —That the Committee are satisfied, from the evidence they have taken, that the majority of the owners of the lake have not joined in the sale, and they are of opinion that it would have been better that the title should have been investigated by the Native Lands Court, previous to the completion of the purchase ; and the Committee are further of opinion that the petitioners, and any other Natives who may allege a claim, ought to have an opportunity of proving their title, if they are able to do so, before the Native Lands Court. John Brtce, 29th September, 1876. Chairman. [Translation.] Ko te Kupu a te Komiti mo runga i te Pukapuka-inoi a Manihera te Rangitakaiwaho ma o Wairarapa. He pukapuka-inoi tenei na nga tangata o Wairarapa he whakaatu i to ratou pouri mo te hokonga hetanga o to ratou roto i Wairarapa c nga Komihana o te Kawanatanga inahoki i whakahe te nuinga o nga rangatira me o ratou hapu ki taua hoko. Eki ana ratou, i wehea i kapea tonutia taua roto i nga wa o nga hokonga whenua katoa hei wahi porowhita mo nga Maori. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu kite Whare: —E marama ana te Komiti i runga i nga korero kua whakarangona c ratou kahore i uru te nuinga o nga tangata no ratou te roto kite hoko, a c whakaaro ana te Komiti he mea pai mehemea i whakawakia c te Kooti Whakawa Whenua Maori te take o nga tangata ki taua roto i mua atu o te whakaotinga o te hoko ; a c whakaaro ana hoki te Komiti he mea tika kia tukua ki nga Kai-inoi ki etahi atu Maori ranei c ki ana c whai take ana ki reira tetahi takiwa hei whakatuturutanga i to ratou take, mehemea ia ka taea c ratou te whakatuturu, i te aroaro o te Kooti Whakawa Whenua Maori. John Brtce, Hepetema 29, 1876. Tumuaki.

Report on the Petition of Aperahama Tupou and 65 Others. Petitioners complain that their land has not been managed properly ; that land has been taken from them to pay for food for other people. They state that they did not sign the deed opening the gold field at Ohinemuri, and they pray that their affairs may be properly and fairly considered. I am directed to report as follows: —That a similar petition was presented last year, and the then Native Affairs Committee recommended that facilities should be given to enable the titles of the Native claimants to the lands in dispute to be investigated by the Native Lauds Court. This recommendation does not, however, appear to have been acted upon, although applications have been sent in by some of the petitioners. This Committee is of opinion that the recommendation of the Native Affairs Committee of last year meets all the circumstances of the case. The petitioners will be quite satisfied to refer their claims to the Court. This Committee further recommends that no unnecessary delay should be allowed to take place in the holding of the Court, as by holding such Court, and ascertaining according to law who the persons are who are entitled to the lands in dispute, all existing causes of complaint and trouble will be removed. John Brtce, 29th September, 1876. Chairman. [Translation.] Ko te Kupu a te Komiti mo runga i te Pukapuka-inoi a Aperahama Tupou me ona hoa c 65. Eki ana nga kai-inoi kahore i tika te whakahaeretanga o o ratou whenua; a kua tangohia he whenua i a ratou hei utu kai ma etahi. E ki ana ratou kahore ratou i tuhi i o ratou ingoa kite pukapuka o te whakatuwheratanga o te whenua-koura i Ohinemuri, a c inoi ana ratou kia whiriwhiria tikatia paitia hoki o ratou tikanga. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu kite Whare : —I tukua mai tetahi pukapuka-inoi penei me tenei i tera tau a ki ana te Komiti mo nga mea Maori o reira kia whakawateatia he takiwa kia ahei ai te whakawakanga o nga take o nga tangata c ki ana no ratou te whenua c tautohetia nei, kite aroaro o te Kooti Whakawa Whenua Maori. Otira kahore pea i mahia he tikanga i runga i taua kupu, ahakoa nga tono a etahi o nga kai-inoi. E whakaaro ana tenei Komiti ka rite katoa nga tikanga o tenei mea c te kupu a te Komiti mo nga mea Maori o tera tau. Ka marama noa iho te ngakau o nga kai-inoi mehemea ka tukua a ratou tono kite Kooti. E mea ana hoki te Komiti kia kaua c tukua he takiwa roa kia pahure mua mai ote tunga ote Kooti, notemea ma te Kooti kia turia, kia kimihia hoki i runga i te tikanga o te ture ko wai ma ranei nga tangata no ratou nga whenua c tautohetia ana, ka kore katoa ai nga take pouri raruraru hoki. John Brtce, Hepetema 29, 1876. Tumuaki. 3—l. 4.