Report on Petition of Hare Hongi Hika and Others.

The petitioners urge—

1.	That the Counties Act should be translated into Maori.
2.	That each separate person in a Crown grant should receive a separate rate account.
3.	That land over which the Native title has not been extinguished should not be subject to be rated, and—
4.	That large areas should not have to pay high rates.

The petitioners also think County Councils should give one month's grace after sending in rate accounts. And are further of opinion that dogs should only be taxed in towns and not in the country districts. And that the Council should also decide as to Steps which ought to be taken in respect of aged women, indigent persons, and orphans.

I am directed to report as follows:—

1.	That the request of the petitioners for the translation of the Counties Act into Maori is reasonable and should be complied with.
2.	That as the Committee understand the position of the existing law, Native lands not through the Court, or through the Court and still in the occupation of the aboriginal owners, are not liable to be rated without the consent of such owners. Therefore it does not appear to be necessary to entertain the second and third requests made in the petition. The Committee are glad to hear that the Native population in the Northern Counties are paying rates of their own accord.
3.	That, as the rate is levied by valuation, allowance is made for lands not farmed or beneficially occupied, as asked for in paragraph 4.
4.	The Committee do not think it is necessary to make any alteration in the law in relation to dog-licenses, so as to exempt bush settlements from its operation.
5.	The Committee recommend that requests in paragraphs 6 and 7 of the petition, dealing respectively with the question of giving one month's grace to pay rates, and with the question of charitable aid, to the consideration of the Government, to be dealt with if thought desirable in the Counties Act Amendment Bill.

[Translation.]
Ko te Kupu a te Komiti mo runga i te Pukapuka-inoi a Hare Hongi Hika ma.

E tono ana nga Kai-inoi—

1.	Kia whakamaoritia te Ture mo nga Kaunihera.
2.	Kia tukua he tono utu takowha ki ia tangata i roto i te Karauna karaati.
3.	Ko nga whenua papatupu kaua e whai-takowha.
4.	Ko nga whenua nui kaua e utu i te takowha nui.

E mea ana hoki nga kai-inoi kia tukua kia kotahi marama e nga Kaunihera o nga Takiwa kia takoto i muri iho o te tononga utu takowha, a e whakaaro ana ratou mo nga kuri kia whai utu nga kuri o nga taone anake kaua nga kuri i nga wahi i waho, a e mea ana hoki ratou kia whai tikanga te Kaunihera mo nga ruruhi, mo nga rawakore me nga pani.

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

1.	He tono marama te tono a nga kai-inoi kia whakamaoritia te Ture mo nga Kaunihera Takiwa, me whakaae atu taua tono.
2.	I runga i te tikanga o te ture i kitea ai e te Komiti ko nga Whenua Maori kahore ano kia whakawakia i te aroaro o te Kooti whakawa Whenua Maori, kua whakawakia ranei a kei nga Maori ano e pupuri ana kahore ano kia hokona kia retia ranei ki te Pakeha kahore e tau te mana tono takowha mo aua whenua mehemea kahore nga tangata no ratou aua whenua e whakaae ki te utu. No reira i kore ai he take i whiriwhiria ai nga tono tuarua tuatoru o roto o te pukapuka-inoi. Ka nui te koa o te Komiti i te rongonga ai kei te utu i nga takowha i runga i ta ratou whakaae ake nga tangata Maori o nga Takiwa o Raro.
3.	E whakahaerea ana te nui te iti ranei o te utu takowha i runga i te nui i te iti ranei o nga tikanga o te whenua no reira e whakaarohia ana ano te ritenga mo nga whenua kahore e mahia ana kahore ranei e tupu mai ana he mea whai tikanga i reira, inahoki te tono i te rarangi 4.
4.	Kahore te Komiti i marama ki te whai kupu kia whakarerea ketia te ture e utna ai nga kuri ki kore ai e utua nga kuri o nga kainga mamao.page 26
5.	E mea ana te Komiti ma te Kawanatanga e whiriwhiri mehemea ka maramara i a ratou i te homaitanga o te Pire hei whakatikatika i te ture mo nga Kaunihera, nga tono i roto i nga rarangi 6, 7 hoki mo te marama kotahi kia tukua kia takoto hei utunga o nga takowha, mo te mea hoki kia whaka-arohia nga ruruhi nga rawakore me nga pani.