Report on Petition of Nepia Pohuhu and Others. (Presented in 1876.)

This is a petition presented last session, and referred back in consequence of the Native Affairs Committee of last year not having reported an opinion to the House.

The petitioners complain that various blocks of land in the Wairarapa have been improperly purchased, and state a variety of reasons in support of their opinion, some of which are difficult to understand.

In some cases they ask that the land be restored to them, and in others that additional money be paid.

I am directed to report as follows:—

That the Committee have entered at some length into the subject-matter of the petition by the examination of Mr. Cooper, Under-Secretary, Mr. Clarke, of the Native Office, and three Native witnesses; but, in the opinion of the Committee, the petitioners have not established a case that would justify a formal inquiry by Government, nor do the Committee think that such an inquiry (if held) would produce any definite result.

[Translation.]
Ko te Kupu a te Komiti mo runga i te Pukapuka-inoi a Nepia Pohuhu me etahi atu. (No te tau 1876, i tukua mai ai.)

Ko tenei pukapuka-inoi no tera tau i tukua mai ai a i whakahokia mai notemea kahore te Komiti mo nga mea Maori o tera tau i whai kupu tuturu ki te Whare:—

E ki ana nga kai-inoi i hokona hetia etahi whenua i Wairarapa, a e whakaatu ana i nga take maha hei whakakaha i to ratou whakaaro pera, ko etahi o aua take kihai i ata kitea te tikanga.

Ko etahi o o ratou tono kia whakahokia te whenua ki a ratou, ko etahi kia utua he moni ke atu.

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

Kua roa te kimihanga a te Komiti i te tikanga o tenei pukapuka-inoi ara kua pataia a Te Kupa (Mr. Cooper), Hekeretari-Tuarua o te Koroni, a Te Karaka (Mr. Clarke), o te Tari Maori me nga Maori tokotoru. Engari ki te whakaaro o te Komiti kahore nga kai-inoi i whakatuturu i tetahi take e tika ai kia tahuri te Kawanatanga ki te kimi i nga tikanga o tenei mea, kahore hoki te Komiti i whakaaro ka puta he tikanga tuturu i taua kimihanga ina tu.