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Reports of the Native Affairs Committee, 1876.

Report on Petition of Hori Tauroa

Report on Petition of Hori Tauroa.

Petitioner prays for the issue of Crown grants for the site of a church at Waiuku, and for pieces of land adjoining the same. Also, for compensation for properly destroyed by soldiers during the war, and for a canoe at present in the possession of the Government.

I am directed to report as follows:—

In reference to the complaint by petitioner that another Native refuses to concur in a subdivision of trust lands at Waiuku, effected by Major Heaphy and Mr. Marshall, Native Interpreter, your Committee are of opinion that petitioner's complaint is reasonable, and that a Bill should be introduced to give effect to the arrangement made by Major Heaphy and Mr. Marshall, which arrangement appears to have received the almost unanimous consent of the Native owners.

Also, petitioner finds ground of complaint that a grant has not been issued to the Church of England for a church site sold or given by Natives to the church, and that a grant has not been issued to the petitioner and other Natives for other land adjoining the church site. The Committee have the honor to report that the sale of the church site by the petitioner appears to have been concurred in by the Government, and a Bill is now before the House providing for the issue of a grant

The Committee can see no objection to the carrying of the Bill into law. With reference to the other piece, the petitioner has not furnished the Committee with evidence sufficient to maintain his claim. Such evidence as the Committee have been able to take has been adverse to the petitioner's claim, and they cannot see their way to making any recommendation thereon.

In reference to that part of the petition which relates to the claim of petitioner and other Natives to compensation moneys expected to be paid for a large war canoe taken possession of by Colonial Forces during the Waikato war, the Committee beg to report that they have ascertained that it is not intended to pay any moneys whatever by way of compensation, and that the Government are quite willing to return the canoe in question to its owners.

The Committee are of opinion that the return of the canoe to the Native owners at the place from which it was taken, or as near there as practicable, should remove all just ground of complaint.

John Bryce, Chairman.

27th July, 1876.