No. 415.—Petition of Te Roore Rangiheuea and 26 Others.

Petitioners pray that a piece of land at Moutoa, 20 acres in area, which they allege was originally given to the Church Missionary Society, may be returned to them, and not vested in the Bishop of Wellington.

I am directed to report that, as the land referred to in the petition is now vested in the Crown, in trust for Church purposes, it cannot be disposed of save by the consent of Parliament. The petitioners are misinformed as to the land being intended to be vested hi the Bishop of Wellington. The Committee recommends that, as the Natives have not been living for some considerable time on the land, and, as it is not now required for Church purposes, it should be held by the Crown in trust for the Natives now living thereon. The petition is therefore referred to the Government for consideration.