1.—3.

47

Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu kite Whare: — E mahara ana te Komiti kahore he tikanga kahore he pai kia mea ratou kia whakarereaketia te ture kia kore ai nga whenua Maori c utu takowha i roto o nga takiwa. A c mahara ana ano hoki kahore he tika nga kia whakapuaki maharatanga ratou mo etahi atu o nga whakahe a nga kai-inoi mo nga ture katoa mo nga whenua Maori. John Beyce, Nowema 16, 1877. Tumuaki.

Eepoet on Petition of Utiku Potaka. The petitioner sets forth at considerable length his claim to certain portions of the Eangitikei-Mana-watu Block, asserting that, although the claim of his tribe to certain well-defined blocks of land has never been disputed, only one member thereof ever received any of the money paid for the EangitikeiManawatu land, and in this case only because the recipient was domiciled with another tribe. Petitioner prays for inquiry and redress. I am directed to report as follows : — That the claims set fotth in the petition involve questions of Native title which, if reopened at all, ought to be inquired into by some competent tribunal capable of making a full inquiry. But, in the absence of evidence, the Committee are not prepared to say whether or not the case of the petitioner should be reopened. John Beyce, 19th November, 1877. Chairman.

[Translation.] KO TE KUPU A TE KOMITI MO EUNGA I TE PUKAPUKA-INOI A UtIKU PoTAKA. Ko te kai-inoi c whakaatu ana i tona paanga ki etahi wahi o Eangitikei-Manawatu Poraka c mea ana ano hoki ia ahakoa kaore ano kia whakahengia te panga o tona iwi ki etahi wahi o taua Poraka ko tahi ano te tangata o taua iwi i tango moni mo taua whenua mo Eangitikei-Manawatu. A i runga o tenei ko taua tangata i tango ra i noho ke i roto o tetahi atu iwi. Ko te kai-inoi c inoi ana kia kimihia kia hoatu he tika. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu kite Whare : — Ko nga paanga c whakaaturia ana i roto i taua pukapuka-inoi c eke ana ki nga take Maori kite whenua a kite whakapuaretia ano ko te mea tika ma tetahi Kooti c kaha ana c mohio ana c kimi taua mea. Engari ite mea kahore he korero i homai kite aroaro o te Komiti, kahore c taea etc Komiti, te ki mehemea c pai ana kia whakapuaretia ano te tono a nga kai-inoi. John Beyce, Nowema 19, 1877. Tumuaki.

Eepoet on Petition of Ihaia Tainui. Petitionee prays that the titles of himself and hapu to reserves in the South Island may be individualized. He alleges that under existing circumstances individual owners cannot devise their share by will on account of their inability to set forth in legal terms the piece of land to which they are entitled. The petitioner also objects to the Governor assuming the management of the reserves and the rents accruing from them, alleging that the Natives understood that the arrangement was only to last for a term of twenty-one years. And he further asserts that the administration of the rents is objectionable. Petitioner urges various objections to the Native Eeserves Act of 1876, and particularly that it was drawn by Mr. Alexander Mackay. He concludes by praying that his people may be compensated for land taken for railway purposes. I am directed to report as follows :— That the Native Affairs Committee of last session inquired very fully into the merits of this case, and reported thereon as follows:— " That in the opinion of the Committee the petitioners in this case do not appear to have any good ground for complaint, and that the reserve in question seems to be fairly and judiciously administered on behalf of the Natives concerned. " The Committee is further of opinion that the law which enables the Governor to sell such reserves should be amended, so as to provide that no such sale should be effected without a special Act of the Legislature in such cases." No additional evidence having been submitted, the Committee have nothing to add to the report above quoted, except to recommend that the petition be referred to the Government for consideration. John Beyce, November 19,1877. Chairman.

[Teanslation.] Ko TE KUPU A TE KOMITI MO EUNGA I TE PUKAPUKA-INOI A IHAIA TaINUI. Ko te kai-inoi c tono ana kia wehewehea nga paanga o ratou ko tona hapu ki nga whenua rahui i Poutini. E mea ana ia i runga ote ahua o naianei ko nga tangata no ratou kahore ite kaha kite whakaatu i o ratou wahi ana tukua i runga i te pukapuka oha-aki i te mea kahore ratou c ahei kite whakaatu i a nga wahi mo ratou. E whakahe ana hoki te kai-inoi kite rironga ma te Kawana c wha^ kahaere nga whenua rahui, me nga moni o nga reti c puta mai ana i aua whenua, c mea ana ano hoki ia i mahara nga Maori ko taua tikanga i whakaritea mo nga tau c 21 anake, a c ki ana ano i a i tua atu ko te whakahaere i nga reti kahore ite pai. He maha nga whakahe ate kai-inoi kite Ture mo nga Whenua Kahui Maori, 1876, ko tona tino whakahe ko te rironga ma Ariki Make c hanga taua ture.