No. 373.—Petition of Kawana Hunia and Others.

Petitioners, who belong to the Ngatiapa Tribe, state that they were interested in land which was brought into Court on the 24th June, 1880, at Bull's, the other claimants being the Ngatihauiti Tribe; that, on the 5th July, after the case of the latter tribe had been nearly completed, and before the petitioners had entered upon theirs, the Court decided that it would not any longer permit lawyers to appear; that, by this action, the petitioners were hindered from fairly stating their case; that they then withdrew, and the Court closed; that by this action of the Court they had lost £500 in expenses; that a rehearing was granted, to be held within three months, but that this did not occur for two years, thus causing further loss to the petitioners. They pray for compensation.

I am directed to report as follows:—

That exactly similar petitions were presented in 1880 (No. 232) and 1882 (No. 469), and the matter was fully gone into. The Committee has no recommendation to make.