No. 118.—Petition of Honana te Maioha.

Petitioner says he leased the island Taipouri, Waikato, to John Moore (or Muir), and received from the latter $100 by way of loan. The petition is very obscure; but he seems to have lost his land, and blames Moore and one Cowell and his Maori wife for having defrauded him.

I am directed to report as follows:—

Mr. Wilkinson, Government Native Agent at Auckland, reports upon this case as follows: "Taipouri was granted to Honana under 'The New Zealand Settlements Act, 1863;' he then leased it in December, 1868, for fifteen years to Muir, at a yearly rental of £31 5s. Honana afterwards mortagaged that island, and another adjacent, no Muir on the 25th March, 1870, for £200, which amount was to have been repaid with interest on the 24th March, 1875. Honana failed to repay the money and interest, and the islands were sold by order of the Registrar of the Supreme Court at Auckland. The mortgagee being the highest bidder they were conveyed to him by the Registrar. Mr. C.O. Davis was the interpreter for both lease and mortageg." The Committee, having no further evidence, has no recommendation to make, as it seems to be an ordinary business transaction.