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Report on Petitions of Renata Kawepo and 790 Others, and Piripi Ropata and 200 Others.
These petitions are signed by 791 Natives and 201 Natives respectively, and appear to express the views of a large meeting of Natives held last year, and also the substance of resolutions arrived at by a meeting held more recently. The petitioners express an opinion that it is desirable that meetings of Native chiefs should frequently be held to discuss matters affecting the Native race, and think that the number of Native representatives in the General Assembly should be greatly increased. They complain of confusion in the existing Native Lands Act, as well as in the operations conducted under it, and pray for its repeal. In asking that a better Act be passed, they state their belief that the Judges should have the same status as in other Courts, and be free from the control of the Government.
I am directed to report as follows:—
That the various interesting matters referred to in these petitions are deserving of the careful consideration of the House; but the Committee do not deem it necessary to make specific recommendations in relation to the numerous political opinions expressed by the petitioners.
That inasmuch as the petitions threw great light upon the opinion of the Natives as to the shape which should be given to legislation upon Native lands, the Committee would recommend that the petitions be printed.
In recommending that the petitions be printed, the Committee desire to express its disapproval of the insertion therein of that portion of it which reflects upon the character of a member of this House, and hope that in future Maoris petitioning the Legislature will refrain from making such reflections.
John Bryce,
Chairman.
[Translation.]
Ko te kupu a te Komiti mo runga i nga Pukapuka-inoi a Renata Kawepo ratou ko ona hoa e 790, A Piripi Ropata hoki ratou ko ona hoa e 200.
E 791 nga Maori na ratou i tuhituhi enei Pukapuka-inoi, he whakaatu mai i nga whakaaro o tetahi hui nui o nga Maori i turia i tera tau; me etahi putake hoki i oti i tetahi hui i muri ake nei. E ki ana nga kai-inoi he mea pai kia huihui nga Rangatira Maori ki te korero i nga mea e tau ana ki te iwi Maori; e whakaaro ana ratou kia whakatakomahatia nga Mema Maori ki roto ki te Runanga Nui. E whakaatu ana ratou i to ratou pouri mo te raruraru o Te Ture Whenua Maori o naianei, me nga mea i mahia i runga i nga tikanga o taua Ture a e inoi ana ratou kia whakakorea atu. I runga i ta ratou tono kia mahia tetahi Ture pai atu e whakaatu ana ratou i to ratou whakaaro kia rite tonu te tu o nga Kai-whakarite Whakawa ki nga Kai-whakarite Whakawa o era atu Kooti, kia kaua he mana a te Kawanatanga e tau ki a ratou.
Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu ahau ki te Whare:—
He mea pai kia ata whiriwhiria e te Whare nga korero whai tikanga e whakahuatia ana i roto i nga Pukapuka-inoi, engari kahore te Komiti i whakaaro he mahi tuturu ma ratou kia whai kupu tohu-tohu ratou mo nga mea maha e tau ana ki nga tikanga whakahaere e whakahuatia ana e nga kai-inoi.
Inahoki he nui te whakamarama o te Pukapuka-inoi i nga whakaaro o nga Maori mo te ahua mo nga Ture e tau ana ki nga whenua Maori e mea atu ana te Komiti he mea pai kia taia te Pukapuka-inoi.
I runga i ta ratou tohutohu atu kia taia te Pukapuka-inoi e whakaputa ana te Komiti i ta ratou whakahe mo te kupu o taua Pukapuka-inoi e anga whakahe ana ki tetahi Mema o tenei Whare, a e tumanako ana to ratou whakaaro ka kore nga Maori e whakahua i aua tu kupu ina tuku Pukapuka-inoi mai ratou ki te Runanga.
John Bryce,
Tumuaki.