Report on the Petition of Aperahama Tupou and 65 Others.
Petitioners complain that their land has not been managed properly; that land has been taken from them to pay for food for other people.
They state that they did not sign the deed opening the gold field at Ohinemuri, and they pray that their affairs may be properly and fairly considered.
I am directed to report as follows:—That a similar petition was presented last year, and the then Native Affairs Committee recommended that facilities should be given to enable the titles of the Native claimants to the lands in dispute to be investigated by the Native Lands Court.
This recommendation does not, however, appear to have been acted upon, although applications have been sent in by some of the petitioners.
This Committee is of opinion that the recommendation of the Native Affairs Committee of last year meets all the circumstances of the case. The petitioners will be quite satisfied to refer their claims to the Court.
This Committee further recommends that no unnecessary delay should be allowed to take place in the holding of the Court, as by holding such Court, and ascertaining according to law who the persons are who are entitled to the lands in dispute, all existing causes of complaint and trouble will be removed.
John Bryce,
Chairman.
[
Translation.]
Ko te Kupu a te Komiti mo runga i te Pukapuka-inoi a Aperahama Tupou me ona hoa e 65.
E ki ana nga kai-inoi kahore i tika te whakahaeretanga o o ratou whenua; a kua tangohia he whenua i a ratou hei utu kai ma etahi.
E ki ana ratou kahore ratou i tuhi i o ratou ingoa ki te pukapuka o te whakatuwheratanga o te whenua-koura i Ohinemuri, a e inoi ana ratou kia whiriwhiria tikatia paitia hoki o ratou tikanga.
Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu ki te Whare:—I tukua mai tetahi pukapuka-inoi penei me tenei i tera tau a ki ana te Komiti mo nga mea Maori o reira kia whakawateatia he takiwa kia ahei ai te whakawakanga o nga take o nga tangata e ki ana no ratou te whenua e tautohetia nei, ki te aroaro o te Kooti Whakawa Whenua Maori.
Otira kahore pea i mahia he tikanga i runga i taua kupu, ahakoa nga tono a etahi o nga kai-inoi.
E whakaaro ana tenei Komiti ka rite katoa nga tikanga o tenei mea e te kupu a te Komiti mo nga mea Maori o tera tau. Ka marama noa iho te ngakau o nga kai-inoi mehemea ka tukua a ratou tono ki te Kooti.
E mea ana hoki te Komiti kia kaua e tukua he takiwa roa Ma pahure mua mai o te tunga o te Kooti, notemea ma te Kooti kia turia, kia kimihia hoki i runga i te tikanga o te ture ko wai ma ranei nga tangata no ratou nga whenua e tautohetia ana, ka kore katoa ai nga take pouri raruraru hoki.
John Bryce,
Tumuaki.