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No. 139, Session I., 1879.—Petition of Mere Taituha.
The petitioner alleges that certain land in Dunedin belonged to her uncle Tamarua, who was buried upon it, and she prays it may be returned to her, as it is a sacred spot, and also because houses of the Europeans are built upon it.
I am directed to report as follows:—
That the Committee are of opinion that, if questions of Native title to land such as are involved in this petition are to be inquired into, it must be done by a different tribunal from a Select parliamentary Committee, whose time is manifestly far too limited for such a purpose. The Committee are not prepared to express an opinion as to whether such an inquiry should be held or not, but recommend that it should receive the attention of the Government.
Translation.
No. 139, Session I., 1879.—Pukapuka-inoi a Mere Taituha.
E ki ana te kai-pitihana ko tetahi whenua i Otakou no tona hakoro no Tamarua kei reira e tanu ana, a e inoi ana ia kia whakahokia ki a ia, notemea he wahi tapu, a kei runga hoki e tu ana nga whare Pakeha.
Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei:—
E whakaaro ana te Komiti, na ko nga putake korero take whenua Maori penei me tenei i roto i tenei pitihana mehemea e meatia ana kia mahia, me tuku atu ma tetahi atu Kooti e mahi, kaua ma tetahi Komiti Motuhake o te Paremete notemea he iti rawa te takiwa hei mahinga ma ratou. E kore a ahei te Komiti ki te whakahua i tona whakaaro kia whakaturia ranei taua Kooti kia kore ranei, engari ka whai kupu tohutohu atu ratou kia whakaarohia e te Kawanatanga.