Report on the Petition Of Pitihira te Kuru And 35 Others.

The petitioners state that their hapu did not join in the sale of the Rangitikei-Manawatu Block to Dr. Featherston, and did not receive any of the purchase-money thereof. They state that they have been unjustly deprived of a block of land in the Manawatu district, called Himatangi, and that they suffer undeserved wrong in consequence, as they have always lived on the land.

I am directed to report as follows:—That there appears to be no difficulty in the way of the petitioners' hapu receiving the land awarded to them by the Court which investigated their claim; but as their object is to obtain an additional quantity to that awarded, it would seem that this petition is virtually an appeal from the decision of the Court.

The Committee believe that it is not desirable that they should act in the capacity of a Court of Appeal from the Native Lands Court, inasmuch as it is manifestly impossible that they can take sufficient evidence or devote sufficient time to a single case to enable them to come to a satisfactory conclusion. In the present instance the Committee do not feel justified in making any recommendation to the House in favour of the petitioners which might be regarded by them as a re-opening of their claim.