11

I.—B

them by the present owner (Huria Matenga) to see that their names were included in the title when the land was put through the Native Land Court, they have been shut out of the same. They now pray that a rehearing may be granted to enable them to establish their rights. I am directed to report that the Committee find that this is a case of some difficulty. There was some evidence that the Whakapuaka Block was owned by Kauhoe and her on, Wi Katene te Puoho. It is stated by Mr. Alexander Mackay that Kauhoe's rights were only as trustee for Wi Katene, and that she had no individual rights. It seems doubtful if in 1832, when the land was handed over by Ngati Koata to Kauhoe, that she would not have been deemed to have rights in the block. It has also been proved to the Committee (vide Appendix to Journals of House of Bepresentatives, G.-2, 1881) that any rights Te Wahapiro (the son of Kauhoe, through whom the petitioners claim) had were ceded to the Crown. If the petitioners had therefore, through Wahapiro, made out any right to any portion of the block before the Court, the Court would have been bound to award it to the Crown. There was no claim made by them before the Court. They assert, however, that they kept away from the Court because of an arrangement made between them and Huria Matenga. This is denied by Huria Matenga. It is thirteen years since the Court sat and awarded the land to Huria Matenga, and only now has a petition been brought before Parliament. No application has heretofore been made to the Court or the Crown by the petitioners. Their absence from the Court and their delay in making a claim seems to confirm the view that Wahapiro's descendants did not think they had any claim to the land. The Committee cannot, therefore, say that the petitioners have made out a claim to their satisfaction. 27th August, 1896.

[Tbanslation.] No. 60.—Pitihana a Wi Katene Paeemata me tetahi atu. B ki ana nga kai-pitihana c whai take ana raua, i to raua tupuna, ia Kauhoe, ki Whakapuaka Poraka', Takiwa o Whakatu, a i runga i te korenga kaore i mana i te tangata kei a ia taua whenua inaianei, ara, i a Huria Matenga, tana kupu i ki ai mana raua c whakauru kite tiwhikete i te wa i whakawakia ai taua whenua c te Kooti Whenua Maori, heoi kua araia raua, a kua kore raua c uru ki taua whenua. E inoi ana raua inaianei kia whakaaetia he whakawa tuarua kia taea ai c raua te whakauru ia raua ki taua whenua. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei, kua kite te Komiti he putake uaua tenei. I takoto ano etahi korero kite aroaro o te Komiti hei whakaatu no Kauhoe raua ko tana tama ko Wi Katene te Puoho a Whakapuaka Poraka. Ac ki ana a Mr. Alexander Mackay (Tiati Make) kaore kau o Kauhoe take paanga ki taua whenua, heoi ano tona paanga he kai-tiaki noa iho ia mo Wi Katene. Otira c tika ana kia awangawanga te Komiti ki tenei korero, notemea hoki ite tau 1832 i te wa i tukua ai te whenua c Ngati Koata ki a Kauhoe, i pehea i kore ai ona take kite poraka. Kua oti te whakamarama kite Komiti (tirohia nga Kupu Apiti ki nga Pukapuka o nga korero o te Whare o Earo, G.-2., 1881), ara, ko nga take paanga o Te Wahapiro (he tama tenei na Kauhoe, a koia te take tupuna o nga kai-pitihana kite poraka) i tukuna katoatia eiaki te Karauna. Na reira ahakoa i taea c nga kai-pitihana te whakaatu kite Kooti o raua take kite whenua mo te taha ki a Te Wahapiro, c kore ano te Kooti c kaha kite whakatau i aua paanga ki a raua, engari ka hoatu ke mo te Karauna. Otira kaore raua i whakatu kereeme ma raua kite aroaro ote Kooti. Bki ana raua, ko te take i kore ai raua c whakatu keehi ma raua ki roto i te Kooti kua oti i a ratou ko Huria Matenga tetahi whakariteritenga mo taua keehi. Kei te whakahengia tenei korero c Huria Matenga. Na ko tetahi, ka tekau ma toru rawa nga tau inaianei kua pahemo o te tuunga o te Kooti nana i whakatau te whenua ki a Huria Matenga, a katahi ano ka tae mai kite Paremete he pitihana whakahe mo taua whakataunga. Kaore ano he tono whakawa tuarua ma nga kaipitihana mo tenei whenua i tae i mua atu o tenei pitihana kite Kooti kite Karauna ranei. Ko to raua ngaronga i te Kooti me ta raua waiho roa i ta raua kereeme, ma ena c whakatatu te whakaaro, koia ano, i mohio ano nga uri o Te Wahapiro kaore kau o ratou take ki taua whenua. Na reira kaore te Komiti c kaha kite ki kua marama ki a ratou te kereeme a nga kai-pitihana. 27 o Akuhata, 1896.

Eating Act Amendment Bill. I have the honour to report that the Native Affairs Committee, to whom was referred the above-mentioned Bill, have duly considered the same and recommend that it be allowed to proceed subject to the amendment as shown on a copy of the Bill attached hereto. 2nd September, 1896.

[Translation.] PIEE WhAKATIKATIKA I NGA TuEE EeITI. B whai honore ana ahau kite ripoata, kua ata whiriwhiria c te Komiti mo nga Mea Maori tenei Pire, a kua whai kupu taua Komiti me tuku tenei Pire kia whakahaerea i runga ano i nga menomana c whakaaturia ana c te tauira o taua Pire kua whakamaua nei ki tenei. 2 o Hepetema, 1896.

No. 232. —Petition of Titihuia and Others. Petitioners pray that an investigation may be made into the title of the Eimutauteka Block, near Waitara, for the purpose of giving them an opportunity of proving their right to be included therein.