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Report on Petition of Wiremu Puataata and Others. (Presented in 1876.)
This is a petition presented last session, and referred back in consequence of the Native Affairs Committee of last year not having reported an opinion to the House.
This petition is from certain Natives of the Bay of Islands, who state that they have been done out of their lands through the action of the Native Land Court, and pray either that £50 should be paid to them in cash, or that 1,000 acres should be restored to them.
I am directed to report as follows:—
That it appears from the evidence taken that applications for the rehearing of this block were refused by the Governor in Council in consequence of a recommendation to that effect made by the Chief Judge of the Native Land Court. The law gives the Governor in Council a discretionary power, and there is no evidence before the Committee to show that that discretion was not properly exercised. The Committee can do no more than refer the petition to the Government for their consideration.
John Bryce,
Chairman.
[Translation.]
Ko te Kupu a te Komiti mo runga i te Pukapuka-inoi a Wiremu Puataata ma. (No te tau 1876 i tukua mai ai.)
Ko tenei pukapuka-inoi no tera tau i tukua mai ai, a i whakahokia mai notemea kahore te Komiti o tera tau i whai kupu tuturu ki te Whare.
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Ko tenei pukapuka-inoi na etahi Maori o Pewhairangi e ki ana ratou kua tinihangatia o ratou whenua i runga i te whakahaere a te Kooti Whenua Maori a e inoi ana ratou kia utua ratou ki te £50 pauna mani kia whakahokia ranei ki a ratou 1,000 eka whenua.
Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu ki to Whare:—
E kitea ana i runga i nga korero i whakapuakina i te aroaro o te Komiti kahore te Kawana i roto i tona Runanga i whakaae ki te tono kia whakawakia tuaruatia tenei whenua i runga i te tohutohu pera mai a te Tumuaki o nga Kai-whakawa. I runga i te tikanga o te ture kei te Kawana i roto i tona Runanga he mana whakaae pehea ranei a kahore he whakaaturanga i tae mai ki te Komiti e kiia ai kihai taua mana i whakahaerea tikatia. Kahore he mea ma te Komiti, heoti ana ra he tuku i te pukapuka-inoi ki te Kawantanga kia tirohia e ratou.
John Bryce,
Tumuaki.