No. 233.—Petition of Rota Tamatea and Others.

Petitioners complain of the manner in which Mr. J. Mackay has conducted the land purchases on behalf of the Government, and give numerous instances in alleged proof of their assertion that the said Mr. Mackay is an extraordinarily bad man.

I am directed to report as follows:—

That the general allegations of impropriety made by the petitioners against the Government Land Purchase Officer, Mr. Mackay, are unsupported by specific evidence, and the Committee are therefore unable to express an opinion on the matters raised by the petition.