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Report of the Native Affairs Committee, 1883.

[No. 178.—Petition of Rapata Taita and 151 Others.]

No. 178.—Petition of Rapata Taita and 151 Others.

Petitioners state that they have been declared by the Native Land Court owners of large tracts of land in Poverty Bay; that in 1878, and since, they, with other Native owners, conveyed their land to trustees to be dealt with for their benefit; that, though the trustees had received over £50,000 on account of these lands, the petitioners had received nothing, and the trustees refuse to account for the money; that the trustees also conveyed to the New Zealand Native Land Company (Limited) large estates belonging to the trust, nominally for the benefit of the owners, and induced some of the Native owners to commit perjury before a Trust Commissioner and Judges of the Native Land Court in order to obtain certificates to the deeds under the Native Lands Frauds Prevention Act; that the said company, whilst paying large dividends to its shareholders, has given to the petitioners nothing but promises; that the said trustees and company have acquired lands to the value of £500,000 without consideration, and have sold or mortgaged them to shareholders of the company and other individuals; that petitioners have heard that several members of Parliament have been induced to take shares in the company; and that a Bill is now under consideration in Parliament for extending the powers of the company. They pray that, before the above-named Bill passes, a Royal Commission should be appointed to examine into the whole case; and, further, that no Bill dealing with Native lands should be permitted to be introduced by any private member.

I am directed to report as follows:—

That this is a case that only a law Court can decide with a due regard to the interests of all parties concerned. Considering that the Bill referred to in the petition has been withdrawn, the Committee has no recommendation to make.

7th August, 1883.

[Translation.]
No. 178.—Pukapuka-inoi a Rapata Taita me etahi atu 151.

E mea ana nga kai-pitihana kua oti ratou te whakatau e te Kooti Whenua Maori ki runga ki etahi whenua nui i Turanga Papati Pei; a i te tau 1878 i muri iho hoki ka tapae tia atu e nga kai-pitihana me etahi atu e whai take ana to ratou whenua ki etahi kai tiaki kia whakahaeretia hei oranga mo ratou, na ahakoa kua riro mai nga moni e £5,000 i nga kai tiaki mo runga i aua whenua kahore rawa tetahi i riro mai i nga kai-pitihana kahore hoki nga kia tiaki e whakaputa i te kauta o nga moni; a kua tapae tia atu a nga kai tiaki etahi whenua nui o te tiaki ki te Niu Tireni Whenua Maori Kamupani ko te ki hei painga mo nga tangata no ratou te whenua, a i whakahau i etahi Maori whai take ki te korero teka ki te Komihina tiaki me nga Tiati o te Kooti Whenua Maori, ko te take kia whakaputaina ai nga tiwhikete mo nga tiiti i raro i Te Ture Arai Hoko Tahae, ko taua kamupani i taua takiwa e utu moni ana ki nga kai pupuri hea, heai ta ratou i homai ai ma nga kai-pitiana he kupu kau anake, ko aua kai tiaki me taua kamupane kua whiwhi ki etahi whenua tae atu ki te £500,000 i runga i te whakaaro kore, a kua hokona kua moketetia ki nga kai pupuri hea o te kamupani me etahi atu, a kua rongo hoki nga kai-pitihana he maha nga mema Paremete kua whakangahautia ki te tango hea i roto i te Paremete hei whakanui atu i te mana o te kamupani. E inoi ana nga kaipitihana i te mea kahore ano tenei Pire i pahi kia whakaturia tetahi Komihina hei whiriwhiri i tenei keehi katoa, a kia kaua ano hoki e tukuna he Pire e pa atu ana ki runga ki nga whenua Maori kia whakaputaina e te mema kotahi.

Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei:—

He keehi tenei ma te kooti ture anake e whakatau i runga hoki i te whakaaro ko tenei Pire e whakakahuatia nei i roto i te pitihana kua unuhia. Heoi kahore he kupu a te Komiti.

7 Akuhata, 1883.