Report on the Petition of Paurini te Rangiwhakarurua and 64 Others.

The petition does not complain of any particular grievance, hut suggests a number of alterations in the law, which, in the opinion of petitioners, are desirable and necessary.

The main points are that a legal status and legal powers should be given to the various tribal Committees to investigate land disputes and other similar causes of trouble.

They also suggest restrictions on the credit to be given by Europeans to persons of the Native race; alteration of the law of imprisonment for debt; of the law empowering the seizure of lands and goods for debt; and in respect of a number of other matters.

I am direct to report as follows:—The Committee do not consider the petition is one meant to be investigated by them, but rather an expression of the opinion of the tribe to which petitioners belong, in respect of a number of matters of public policy affecting Native interest.

The Committee, therefore, are unable to make any specific report on the petition to the House, but would recommend that the petition, with its numerous original and amusing suggestions, be referred to the Government for its consideration.

[Translation.]
Ko te Kupu a te Komiti mo runga i te Pukapuka-inoi a Paurini te Rangiwhakarurua me ona hoa e 64.

Kahore e whakaaturia ana i roto i te pukapuka-inoi tetahi mate kia whakaorangia engari e tohutohu mai ana kia whakarerea ketia etahi o nga tikanga o te Ture e maharatia ana e nga kai-inoi he mea marama kia whakarerea ketia.

Ko nga tino kupu kia whakamana e te Ture nga Komiti o nga iwi kia ahei ai ratou ki te kimi i nga take raruraru e tau ana ki nga whenua, me etahi atu take raruraru.

E ki ana hoki ratou me whakamutu te tuku nama a nga Pakeha ki nga Maori, me whakarere ke te Ture e mana ana kia hereherea te tangata mo te nama, me whakarere ke te Ture e mana ai te tango i nga whenua i nga taonga hei utu nama, he maha atu hoki a ratou kupu tohutohu.

Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu ki te Whare:—Kahore te Komiti e whakaaro ko tenei pukapuka-inoi he mea ma ratou e kimi, engari he whakaatu mai i nga mahara o te iwi o nga kai-inoi mo etahi tikanga e tau ana ki nga Maori.

No reira e kore e taea e te Komiti te whakapuaki i tetahi kupu tuturu ma ratou ki te Whare mo tenei pukapuka-inoi, engari e mea ana ratou me tuku atu tana pukapuka-inoi, me ana tohutohu maha me ana kupu whakangahau, ki to Kawanatanga ma ratou e titiro iho.