No. 371 of 1882.—Petition of Ropata te Pokiha.

Petitioner states that in 1879 the Thames County Council determined to build a bridge across the Ohinemuri River, at Paeroa, at a place where the road would have injured his cultivations; that, by arrangement with the Chairman, the petitioner went to Cambridge to meet Mr. Sheehan upon the subject; that petitioner's objection to the bridge was removed by a promise from Mr. Sheehan that Government would build a house for him at Paeroa; that though the bridge has been erected the house has not, and he prays that either the house should be built, or a sum of £200 be paid to him.

I am directed to report as follows:—

That there seems to have been a promise by Mr. Sheehan, but how far it extended is not clear. In 1880 the then Native Minister, Mr. Bryce, recommended the petitioner to apply to the County Council for compensation. Nothing seems to have come of this. The Committee considers that the matter should be carefully gone into and redress given if there be a grievance. It recommends, therefore, that the attention of the Government should be given to the case.

[Translation.]
No. 371 of 1882.—Pukapuka-inoi a Ropata te Pokiha.

E Ki ana te kai-pitihana i tuturu i te Kauti Kaunihera o Hauraki kia bangaia tetahi piriti mo te awa o Ohinemuri, ki Paeroa, i te wahi ano e kino ai tona maara; na i whakaritea e te Tiamana me te kai-pitihana kia haere raua ki Kemureti kia kite i a Te Hiana mo runga i taua mea; na i tukua to raro te whakahe a te kai-pitihana i runga i te whakaae a Te Hiana ma te Kawanatanga e hanga be Whare mona ki paeroa; na kua hangaia taua piriti, engari kaore ano te Whare kia hangaia, koia na ia i inoi ai kia hangaia taua Whare, kia hoatu ranei kia £200 ki a ia.

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Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei: —

E Ki tea ana i whakaae ano a Te Hiana, engari ko te tuturutanga o taua whakaaetanga kaore i tino marama. I te tau 1880 ka whakahaua e Te Paraihe, Minita Maori, kia tono te kai-pitihana ki te Kauti Kaunihera kia utua a ia. E whakaaro ana te Komiti me ata whiriwhiri tenei mea, mehemea hoki he mate kua pa ki te kai-pitihana me whakaputa ano he ora ki a ia.

E whakahau ana te Komiti kia tahuri te Kawanatanga ki te mani i tenei mea.