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No. 97 of 1882.—Petition of Henare Te Moananui and Paretene Te Manu.
Petitioners state that there was a dispute as to the ownership of the island of Hauturu, between the Ngatiwhatua and the Ngatiwai, to which latter tribe the petitioners belong; that Hauturu was adjudged to the Ngatiwai, but the other tribe has set up claims to it and petitioned the Queen. The petitioners pray that the decision of the Land Court in their favour may be confirmed.
I am directed to report as follows:—
That this question of the ownership of Hauturu, or Little Barrier Island, was before the Committee last year on the petition of Hemara Tawhia and others of the Kawerau tribe, when it was recommended that Government should spare no effort to bring the dispute about ownership to a satisfactory conclusion. This report was dated 18th July. Shortly afterwards, Government received memoranda from Judge Monro and Chief Judge Fenton (both of whom had heard the case, for it was twice before the Court) in the strongest terms condemning the conduct of Hemara Tawhia and his friends, whose claims are described as" most trumpery." It seems that the Ngatiwhatua have sent a petition to the Queen, but there is no official record of the event or of its fate. It is evident that a mere legal decision is not likely to settle this case satisfactorily, and the Committee would therefore recommend Government to continue its efforts to arrive at a peaceful solution, either through purchase or in some other way.
[Translation.]
No. 97 of 1882.—Pukapuka-inoi a Henare Te Moananui me Paretene Te Manu.
E Ki ana nga kai-pitihana i tautohe a Ngatiwhatua raua ko Ngatiwai ki te whaitaketanga ki te moutere o Hauturu, no Ngatiwai nga kai-pitihana, i whakataua a Hauturu kia Ngatiwai, engari kua ki a Ngatiwhatua e whai take ana ratou a kua tuku pitihana atu ratou ki te Kuini. E inoi ana nga kaipitihana kia whakatuturutia te whakataunga a te Kooti i whakatika ra i a ratou.
Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei:—
I whiriwhiria ano i tera tau e tenei Komiti te whaitaketanga ki Hauturu Moutere i runga i te pitihana a Hemara Tauhia me etahi atu tangata o Kawerau, whakataua ana i reira me tono ki te Kawanatanga kia kaha ta ratou mahi kia oti pai ai te whakarite i te tautohe mo te whaitaketanga ki taua moutere. No te 18 o Hurae taua ripoata a te Komiti. No muri tata mai i reira ka tae mai te pukapuka a te Moanaroa Kai-whakawa raua ko Te Penetana Tumuaki o nga Kai-whakawa (na raua nei i whakawa taua whenua, e rua hoki whakawakanga) kaha rawa ta raua whakahe i te mahi a Hemara Tauhia me ona hoa, e ki ana hoki he hanga noa iho a ratou kereme. I tuku pitihana ano a Ngatiwhatua ki te Kuini, engari kaore i te mohiotia e nga tari Kawanatanga te tukunga o taua pitihana, kaore hoki i te mohiotia i peheatia ranei taua pitihana. Ki te titiro inaianei e kore e rite tenei tautohe i runga i te whakataunga o te ture, a no reira ka tono atu ano te Komiti ki te Kawanatanga kia kaha tonu ta ratou mahi kia oti pai ai taua raruraru, i runga i te hoko, i runga ranei i tetahi atu huarahi.