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Report on Petition of John Hume and Others, European Inhabitants of the Wairarapa.
This petition is from certain European settlers in the Wairarapa who own land injuriously affected by the overflowing of the Wairarapa Lake. They state that about two years ago the Government purchased the fishing rights in the said lake from Natives who were understood to be the owners, but that since then certain other Natives have preferred claims and petitioned Parliament. The petitioners further set forth that the Native Affairs Committee of last session recommended that the Natives last mentioned and others should be allowed an opportunity of proving their claims, and go on to state that, pursuant to this recommendation, an investigation was commenced, but had to be adjourned, for reasons not satisfactory to the petitioners. Petitioners allege that a Native named Hiko is thoroughly acquainted with the title to the lake, and that his evidence ought to be taken; but they allege that he is now an old, infirm man, and they fear that if his evidence is not shortly taken great difficulty will arise in investigating the matter. Petitioners therefore pray that the inquiry may be expedited, and, further, that immediate steps may be taken to keep the lake open, so that their property may not be injured by the overflow of the water of the lake.
I am directed to report as follows:—
That it appears from the evidence of one of the petitioners, Mr. Hume, that serious injury is caused to certain settlers in the Wairarapa by the yearly overflowing of the Wairarapa Lake, and that the evil cannot be abated without infringing the fishing rights of the Native owners, which are alleged to have been retained or preserved in the original deed of cession. That it further appears that about two years ago a purchase of the lake and of the fishing rights therein was made by the Government, but, as it seemed on inquiry by the Native Affairs Committee of last session that the whole of the Natives interested had not an opportunity of being heard in support of their claims, that Committee recommended as follows:—"That the Committee are satisfied from the evidence they have taken that the majority of the owners of the lake have not joined in the sale, and they are of opinion that it would have been better that the title should have been investigated by the Native Land Court previous to the completion of the purchase; and the Committee are further of opinion that the petitioners and other Natives who may allege a claim ought to have an opportunity of proving their title, if they are able to do so, before the Native Land Court." It now appears that obstructions to the inquiry were made by the persons in whose favour the recommendation of the Committee of last session was made. Your Committee can only now express an opinion that the inquiry ought to be expedited, and the grievance complained of by both parties settled with the least possible delay.
John Bryce,
Chairman.
[Translation.]
Ko te kupu a te Komiti mo runga i te Pukapuka-inoi a John Hume me etahi atu Pakeha e noho ana i Wairarapa.
He pukapuka-inoi tenei na etahi Pakeha e noho ana i Wairarapa ko a ratou whenua e ngaromia ana e te wai o Wairarapa Moana. E ki ana ratou ko te rua tenei o nga tau i hokona ai e te Kawanatanga i nga Maori i maharatia no ratou o ratou mana ki te mahi ika, engari no muri nei kua mea etahi atu Maori no ratou taua moana a kua tuku pukapuka-inoi ratou ki te Paremata. E mea ana ano nga kaiinoi i ki te Komiti mo nga mea Maori o tera tau kia whakaarohia te tono a aua Maori me etahi atu. I timataria ano te kimi o nga paanga o aua tangata engari ki te mahara a nga Kai-inoi i he te whakamutunga o taua kimi. E mea ana ano nga Kai-inoi kanui te mohio o tetahi Maori ko Hiko tona ingoa ki nga putake o te tangata ki taua moana, a ko te mea tika me tango nga korero a taua tangata engari koa e ki ana ratou he kaumatua taua tangata, a ki te mea kahore e hohoro te tango o nga korero a taua tangata tera pea e kore e taea te kimi i nga putake paanga ki taua moana. E inoi ana nga Kai-inoi kia timataria te kimi i nga putake paanga o te tangata ki taua moana, a kia whakaritea he tikanga e puare tonu ai taua moana kia kore ai e ngaromia o ratou whenua e te wai.
Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu ki te Whare:—
I runga i te ahua o nga korero a tetahi o nga kai-inoi (a Hume) he nui te mate kua pa ki etahi o nga pakeha e noho ana i Wairarapa i te huri o te wai o Wairarapa moana i nga tau katoa ki runga i te whenua, a ki te whakakorea taua mate, tena e raru te mahi ika a nga Maori, notemea e kiia ana i mau tonu ki a ratou te mahi ika, kahore i riro e ai te kupua te pukapuka tuku. Ko te rua tenei o nga tau i hokona ai e te Kawanatanga nga tikanga o nga Maori ki te mahi ika i taua moana, engari no te uiuiuga a te Komiti mo nga mea Maori kitea ana kahore i tae nga tangata katoa ki te whakaatu i o ratou paanga a penei ana te whakaatu a te Komiti:—"Ki te mohio a te Komiti i runga i nga korero kua whakapuakina ki to ratou aroaro, kaore te nuinga o nga tangata no ratou i uru ki te hokonga; a e mahara ana ratou ko te mea tika me whakawa e te Kooti Whenua Maori i te tuatahi katahi ai ka whakaoti te hoko. I tua atu o tenei e mahara ana te Komiti mehemea ka taea e nga kai-inoi me etahi atu Maori te whakaatu o ratou paanga ki te aroaro o te Kooti Whenua Maori me tuku ratou kia pera." Inaianei e kiia ana ko te kati, na nga tangata i whakaarohia e te Komiti o tera tau e ika ana ratou na heoi ta te Komiti he mea atu kia hohoro te uiui, kia wawe ai te oti pai o te totohe a [gap — reason: damage] taha e rua.
John Bryce,
Tumuaki
