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No. 395.—Petition of Te Warihi Makitaunu and Another.
Petitioners pray that the sum of £8,000 may be paid to them on behalf of their hapu, on account of their claims to a certain block of land, as promised by Sir Donald McLean and Mr. Sheehan, as Native Ministers.
I am directed to report as follows: That, the evidence of the petitioners having been taken, Mr. Lewis, Under-Secretary for the Native Department, stated that the records of the office showed that no promise was made by Sir D. McLean, and the evidence of Captain Mair, who accompanied Sir D. McLean as interpreter, states that no promise was made, and that the promise alleged to have been made could not have been made without his knowledge, he having attended all Sir Donald McLean's meetings. He further produced a corrected report of Sir Donald McLean's speech on the occasion, from the Bay of Plenty Times. There is no mention of any promise in that speech. The Committee are therefore of opinion that the petitioners have no claim whatever upon the Government.
[Translation.]
No. 395.—Pukapuka-inoi a Te Warihi Makitaunu me tetahi atu.
E inoi ana nga kai-pitihana kia utua ki a ratou nga moni e £8,000 pauna mo te taha ki to ratou hapu mo runga i a ratou take ki tetahi poraka whenua pera ano me te whakaaetanga a te Ta Tanara Makarini raua ko te Hiana i raua e tu ana hei Minita Maori.
Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei: I runga i te rongonga ki nga korero a nga kai-pitihana. Ka mea a te Ruihi te Hekeretari o te Tari Maori e whakaatu ana nga pukapuka o te Tari kahore he whakaaetanga a te Makarini. A e mea ana no hoki a Kapene Mea i haere tahi atu nei me te Makarini hei kaiwhakamaori kahore a te Makarini i whakaae, a kote whakaaetanga e kiia nei i whakaaetia kua mohio a Kapene Mea mehemea i whakaaetia, no te mea i reira tonu ia i nga huinga katoa ki te aroaro o te Makarini, I korerotia ano hoki e Kapene Mea nga korero a Ta Tanara Makarini e mau ana i roto i te nuipepa o te Pei o Pereti Taima. A kahore kau he kupu whakaae a te Makarini i roto i taua whaikorero ana. No reira e mahara ana te Komiti kahore kau he take a nga kai-pitihana e tono ai ki te Kawanatanga.