No. 96.—Petition of Te Korowhiti Tuataka (Mrs. Douglas).

The petitioner, who is a Native of Wairoa, on the East Coast of the North Island, states that her name was wrongfully omitted from a grant, notwithstanding that she was universally admitted to he the principal owner; that Captain Morris has purchased the land in question from the grantees, and is now seeking to have it ratified by the Government. The petitioner proceeds to say that she has made many applications, without success, to the Government for that relief which she now requests from the House.

I am directed to report as follows:—

(1.)	That the evidence taken in this case has led the Committee to believe that the petitioner had some right to have her name inserted in the grant of a piece of land including Pukepoto, Ohaituiti, Te Karai, situated in the District of Tauranga; but the Committee are not prepared to estimate the value of her claim.
(2.)	That the non-insertion of the petitioner's name in the grant arose probably partly through the forgetfulness of her own people, as stated in evidence.
(3.)	That the Committee have no reason to believe, and do not believe, that Mr. Clarke, of the Native Department, assisted Captain Morris in the purchase of the block of land in question.
(4.)	That the Committee have not sufficient means to enable them to estimate the value of the petitioner's claim, if any, and therefore recommend that a Commission be appointed, consisting of one Judge and one Assessor of the Native Land Court, possessing all the powers of the Court, to ascertain and determine the nature and extent of the petitioner's interest in the land in question, and to report upon the circumstances under which she came to be left out of the Crown grant.
(5.)	That, in the opinion of the Committee, this recommendation ought not to form a precedent for any cases which have been heard before the Native Laud Court.
(6.)	That, in the opinion of the Committee, no other portions of the land in the Taurauga District which was returned by the Government to the Natives should be allowed to be alienated, by way of sale or by way of lease, for a longer period than twenty-one years, and then only by public auction or by public tender.