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.

[Translation.]
Ko te Kupu a te Komiti mo runga i te Pukapuka-inoi a Hori Tauroa.

E tono ana nga Kai-inoi kia whakaputaina ki a ratou nga Karauna karaati mo te tunga whare karakia ki Waiuku me etahi piihi i te taha o taua tunga whare karakia.

E tono ana hoki ratou kia whakaeangia o ratou taonga i ngaro i nga hoia i te wa o te whawhai e tono ana hoki ki tetahi waka kei te Kawanatanga inaianei.

Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei ahau ki te Whare:—

Mo runga i te pouri a te kai-inoi mo te kore whakaae a tetahi tangata Maori ki te wehewehenga a Meiha Whiwhi raua ko Maiho kai whakamaori i etahi whenua Rahui i Waiuku e mahara ana to koutou Komiti e marama ana te tono a nga kai-inoi a me homai ki te Whare kia hanga tetahi Ture hei whakamana i te whakariteritenga a Meiha Whiwhi raua ko Maiho e kitea iho ana hoki i whakaaetia katoatia e nga tangata ma ratou te whenua, ara i tata ki te katoatanga.

Tetahi tono i roto i te pukapuka-inoi mo te Karauna karaati ki te Hahi o Ingarangi mo tetahi tunga whare karakia i hokona i hoatu ranei e nga Maori ki te Hahi a kahore ano kia puta noa te Karauna karaati ki te Kai-inoi me etahi atu Maori mo etahi whenua e tata ana ki te tunga o te wharekarakia. E whakaaro ana te Komiti he mea whakaae te hokonga e nga Kai-inoi o te tunga o te wharekarakia e te Kawanatanga a kei te Whare tetahi Ture inaianei e mahia ana kia ahei ai te whakaputa i te Karauna karaati.

Kahore he he ki ta te Komiti whakaaro kia tine whakatuturutia tenei Ture. Mo te wahi i te taha, kahore i whakaaturia mai e te kai-inoi he korero hei whakatuturu i tana tono. Ko nga korero i korerotia ki te aroaro o te Komiti e ahua whakahe ana i te tono a te kai-inoi, a kahore ratou e marama ki te whakaaro i tetahi kupu mo reira.

Mo runga i tera wahi o te pukapuka-inoi e whai tikanga ana ki runga ki te tono a te kai-inoi me etahi atu tangata Maori mo te moni e whakaarohia ana kia utua mo tetahi waka-taua nunui i tangohia e nga hoia o te Koroni i te wa o te whawhai ki Waikato e mea ana te Komiti kua kimihia e ratou kahore e whakaarohia ana kia utua he moni mo taua waka, a e pai noa atu ana te Kawanatanga ki te whakahoki i taua waka ki nga tangata no ratou taua waka. E mahara ana te Komiti ma te whakahokinga o te waka ki te wahi i tangohia ai ki tetahi wahi ranei e tata ana ki reira ka kore atu ai nga putake pouri.