No. 301, Session II.—Petition of Pene te Puna and 3 others.

Petitioners state that some of them are grantees from the Crown, or successors of deceased persons, or husbands of female grantees, That Archibald Anderson and James Watt held the blocks of land called Te Awa-o-te-Atua and Kakiraawa; but the validity of the title was disputed. That petitioners executed a deed of conveyance and confirmation in January, 1870, to the above-named persons, for £17,500. The arrangement for the execution of the deed was effected on petitioner's behalf by the Hon. Henry Russell and John Sheehan, and that these two gentlemen received the £17,500. That no account has been rendered by the Hon. Henry Russell and John Sheehan of the manner in which the sum has been disbursed. It is stated that large sums were paid for legal costs, and some part is alleged to have been lodged in the Bank. Small sums have been paid to some of the petitioners, but not the full amount due to them. Petitioners are advised that to obtain redress by recourse to law would be very expensive, and might be indefinitely protracted, and petitioners have not the means to institute proceedings. They pray that the above subjects may be investigated and inquired into by the House.

I am directed to report as follows:—

That 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.