Report on Petition of Meiha Kepa te Rangihiwinui.

The petitioner states that the Ngarauru tribe having been in rebellion was punished by the confiscation of their lands; but that the petitioner and his tribe, who have always been loyal, have claims upon the land so confiscated.

The petitioner further alleges that an award of 400 acres of land in the Waitotara District was made to him in satisfaction of such claims, but that it was afterwards discovered that the land had been leased to a Mr. Vincent, and that complications, recited in the petition, arose therefrom.

The petitioner states that he agreed to an arrangement whereby Vincent was to be regarded as his tenant, and that he has been called on by the executors of the late Mr. Vincent to execute a lease, but, while willing to carry out the arrangement made, thinks that a Crown grant should first be issued to him.

I am directed to report as follows:—The Committee regret that the time at their disposal has not been sufficient to enable them to make such inquiries as would justify them in reporting an opinion on the subject-matter of this petition.

[Translation.]
Ko te Kupu a te Komiti mo runga i te Pukapuka-inoi a Meiha Kepa te Rangihiwinui.

E ki ana te kai-inoi i uru te iwi Ngarauru ki te mau patu ki a te Kuini a whiua ana ratou i runga i te tangohanga o o ratou whenua, otiia he tangata piri pono tonu te kai-inoi ratou ko tona iwi ki a te Kuini, a e whai tikanga ana ratou ki aua whenua i tangohia ra.

E ki ana hoki te kai-inoi i whakataua ki a ia tetahi whenua i te takiwa o Waitotara, e 400 eka, hei whakaea i aua tikanga engari no muri iho ka kitea kua oti taua whenua te riihi ki tetahi Pakeha ko Vincent te ingoa a no reira ka tupu ake nga raruraru kua oti te whakaatu i roto i te pukapuka-inoi.

E ki ana to kai-inoi i whakaae ia ki tetahi tikanga e whakaarohia ai he kai reti ia ki a Vincent a kua tono ki a ia nga kai-whakahaere a Vincent kua mate nei kia tuhi ia i tona ingoa ki te pukapuka riihi, engari i te mea e whakaae ana ano ia ki te whakaoti i te whakariteritenga e mahara ana ia me matua whakaputa te Karauna karaati ki a ia.

Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu ki te Whare:—E pouri ana te Komiti notemea kahore ratou i whai taima ki te uiui i nga tikanga e taea ai e ratou te whakaputa i tetahi whakaaro ma ratou mo runga i nga kupu o tenei pukapuka-inoi.