No. 444.—Petition of Piripi te Maari and 24 Others.

Petitioners pray for compensation for losses they have sustained in connection with the Wairarapa Lakes.

I have the honour to report as follows:—

That the whole question dealt with in this petition was reported on by a Royal Commission in 1890 (vide Vol. II., Appendices, Session II., 1891, G.–4).

It is clear that the Natives have been wronged, and the only question is whether the local bodies interested or the Government should compensate them. The Committee is of opinion that it should be done by the Government, as the land was sold to the settlers, and provision made in the Public Works Act which enabled the local body to open a channel from the lake to the sea, and thus the proprietary rights of the Natives were interfered with.

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The Committee recommend that the Government should at once try to arrange the matter, either by purchasing the rights of the Natives or compensating them for any injury done.

[Translation.]
No. 444.—Pukapuka inoi a Piripi te Maari me etahi atu e 24.

E inoi ana nga kai-pitihaua kia tukua tetahi tikanga ki a ratou mo to ratou mate i runga i te roto o Wairarapa.

Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei:—

I hanga ano tetahi ripoata e tetahi Roira Komihana i te tau 1890 mo runga i nga take katoa o tenei pitihana, tirohia te Pukapuka II. e te Paremete II., 1891, G.–4.

E tino marama ana kua tau tetahi mate ki runga i nga Maori a heoi nei te take mehemea ma nga ropu takiwa e whakarite i aua mate ma te Kawanatanga ranei. E whakaaro ana tenei Komiti ma te Kawanatanga e whakarite notemea na te Kawanatanga i hoko aua whenua ki nga Pakeha me te whakatakoto i tetahi tikanga i roto i te Ture mo nga Mahi mo te Katoa i ahei ai te ropu Takiwa te keri i te waikeri timata mai i te roto tae atu ki te moana a na konei i tau ai tetahi mate ki runga i nga take katoa a nga Maori. E tono ana te Komiti kia tere tonu te whakahaere i tetahi tikanga i runga ranei i te hoko i nga take a nga Maori i runga ranei i te whakarite i tetahi tikanga ki a ratou mo te mate i tau ki a ratou.