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No. 597, 1891, Sess. II.—Hare Moanoa and Others.
Petitioners state that they have been wrongfully deprived of their land. They detail at length the circumstances under which certain blocks passed from them into the hands of The New Zealand Native Land Settlement Company (Limited). They question the legality of the proceedings of the Native Land Court which confirmed the alienation. They impute improper and fraudulent conduct to the agents and managing director of the said company. They allege that they have never received the whole of the consideration money mentioned in the deeds, and that a certain deed of covenant executed by the said company with the Native owners, in which they undertake not to sell, mortgage, or lease without the consent of the Native owners, was set aside and ignored. The said company, notwithstanding the aforesaid covenant, mortgaged the lands of the petitioners to the Bank of New Zealand. The said Bank of New Zealand has foreclosed and bought in those properties, and now claims to be the absolute owner. They now advertise the said properties for sale in different lots. The petitioners pray the Government to intercept such sale till the whole question is inquired into as to the rights and equities to which the Natives and shareholders in the company may be entitled; that their lands, illegally acquired by the said company, may be restored to them, or other relief given which Parliament may deem just.
The Committee is of opinion that the Government should give attention to the case submitted by the petitioners, and, if possible, intercept further proceedings in relation to those lands, with the view that some properly constituted tribunal may be established to which such cases should be referred for settlement on lines of arbitration.
[Translation.]
No. 597, 1891, Sess. II.—Pukapuka-inoi a Hare Moanoa me etahi atu.
E Ki ana nga kai-pitihana kua tangohia hetia o ratou whenua i a ratou a e whakaatu ana ratou i nga take i riro ai aua whenua i te New Zealand Native Land Settlement Company (Limited). E whakaaro ana hoki ratou kihai i tika i runga i te ture nga mahi a te Kooti Whenua Maori nana nei i whakatuturu te tangohanga o taua whenua, e whai kupu ana hoki ratou mo te mahi tahae a nga kaiwhakahaere o taua Kamupani, e mea ana hoki kihai i riro mai i a ratou nga moni katoa mo taua whenua e whakahuatia ana i roto i te Tiiti, a i whakaaetia ano hoki i roto i tetahi Tiiti i page 34
anga e taua Kamupani ki waenganui i a ratou me nga Maori whai take e kore ratou e hoko e Mokete e riihi ranei kia whakaae rano nga Maori whai take, heoi whakakorea iho taua Tiiti. A ahakoa taua whakaaetanga a taua Kamupani tahuri ana ratou ki te Mokete i te whenua o nga kaipitihana ki te Peeke o Niu Tireni. No muri nei ka hokona e taua Peeke aua whenua me te ki inaianei no ratou ake aua whenua, a kua panuitia e ratou inaianei kia hokona. Na e inoi ana nga kai-pitihana ki te Kawanatanga kia araia taua hoko kia oti marire te uiui i te tika o nga take o nga Maori me taua Kamupani ki aua whenua, a ko a ratou whenua i tangohia hetia e taua Kamupani me whakahoki ki a ratou me te tuku i te ora i kite ai te Paremete he mea tika kia tukuna.
E whakaaro ano te Komiti me ata titiro e te Kawanatanga te inoi a nga kai-pitihana a ki te taea me arai i nga whakahaere mo runga i aua whenua kia ahei ai te whakatu i tetahi Kooti hei tukunga atu mo aua keehi kia whakawakia i runga i te huarahi apitireita.