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No. 340 of 1881.—Petition of Maihi Paraone Kawiti and 40 Others.
Petitioners state that they live at the Bay of Islands. They say that a survey of a railway is being made through their land at Opua from Kawakawa; that the Government and the missionaries lay claim to the land, but wrongfully; and they pray that a Commission may be appointed to consider their claims, and frustrate the attempt being made to wrong them.
I am directed to report as follows:—
That Opua, the land in question, was held as part of a larger trust by the Church Missionary Society, whose claims were settled by a special grant made in 1851. The remainder, including Opua, became vested in the Crown as surplus land.
[Translation.]
No. 340 of 1881.—Pukapuka-inoi a Maihi Paraone Kawiti me etahi atu e 40.
E Ki ana nga kai-pitihana ko to ratou kainga kei Pei Whairangi. E ki ana ratou kei te ruritia he raina rerewe ma runga i to ratou whenua i Opua ahu atu ki te Kawakawa. E whakahe ana ratou ki te ki a te Kawanatanga me nga Mihinare no ratou taua whenua. E inoi ana ratou kia tu he Komihana hei whiriwhiri i o ratou take ki taua whenua kia kore ai to ratou mate.
Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei:—
He whenua a Opua i uru ki roto ki tetahi whenua nui e takoto tiaki ana i te Hahi Mihinare; na ko nga Kereme o nga Mihinare i oti ki roto ki tetahi Karaati. i te tau 1851; na ko te toenga o taua whenua ko Opua, heoi riro ana i te Karauna i runga i te ture toenga whenua.