No. 393 of 1882.—Petition of Hoepa Mataitaua.
Petitioner resides at Te Kouma, Coromandel, and complains that strangers from Sydney, Melbourne, and elsewhere, come and remove oysters and other shellfish in great quantities, to the manifest injury of the Maori people, and with the effect of speedily ruining the fisheries. He prays that a law may be enacted to give the right of fishing on foreshores to the owners of the land abutting upon them.
I am directed to report as follows:—
That the Committee would recommend that inquiries should be made by Government into the truth of the allegation in the petition, and that it should take action if necessary.
18th August, 1882.