No. 21 of 1880.—Petition of the Mahurehure Tribe.

The petitioners pray that an Act may be passed to protect them in their enjoyment of their fisheries and pipi beds.

I am directed to report as follows:—

That the Committee has no recommendation to make in reference to this petition, believing that the Native Land Court affords adequate protection in the North Island; but that it seems that "The Native Reserves Act, 1873," destroys the jurisdiction of the Native Land Court in the South Island, and that to this aspect of the general question the attention of the Government should be called, with a view to a remedy of a serious grievance; and, further, that the Government be requested to take some means of publicly intimating to the Maoris of the North Island that they can get redress by applying to the Court.