No. 64.
Petition of John Topi Patuki to His Excellency the Governor.

To His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand, the humble Petition of John Topi Patuki, of Ruapuke, in the Colony of New Zealand, showeth,—

1.	That your petitioner is a chief of the Ngaitahu and Ngatimamoe Tribes.
2.	That in the month of June, 1853, certain land commonly known as the Princes Street Native Reserve, Dunedin, was, by the Governor of the said Colony, set apart as a Native Reserve for your petitioner and his tribe.
3.	That by a grant of the Governor in Council, dated the 11th day of January, 1866 (No. 4,871), the said land was granted to the Superintendent of the Province of Otago, in trust for public wharves, quays, and other purposes connected therewith of public utility to the Town of Dunedin and its inhabitants.
4.	That before the signature of the said grant, neither your petitioner nor his tribe was warned of the intention of the Governor to convey the said Native Reserve to the said Superintendent of Otago.
5.	That before such signature neither your petitioner nor his tribe had an opportunity of being heard before the Executive Council, or the Supreme Court, in opposition to the signature of such grant, or in defence of their claim to the land comprised therein.
6.	That your petitioner is advised that the said grant is illegal and void, inasmuch as the land therein comprised was specially reserved for your petitioner and his tribe.

That your petitioner is desirous of obtaining the leave of the Crown for instituting legal proceedings by scire facias, in the name of the Crown or otherwise, for repealing the said grant.

Your petitioner therefore prays that leave may be given to him to institute such legal proceedings by scire facias, in the name of the Crown or otherwise, as he may be advised, for obtaining the repeal of the said grant.