5

I—3.

[Translation.] Ko te Kupu a te Komiti mo runga i te Pukapuka-inoi a Tanira Paerau me ona hoa TEKAUMARUA. E tono ana nga kai-inoi mo etahi koata eka i Matata i whakatakotoria hei Taone a i toe i te hokonga karangaranga ki Tauranga i te tau 1868, kia wehewehea ki nga hapu o te Arawa i runga i te kupu whakaari a te Komihana o reira ai. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu ahau kite Whare :— Ko nga tono a nga kai-inoi kua ea i runga i nga tikanga o " Te Ture Hoko Whenua i Eichmond (Matata) 1870," a mehemea ka whakamana nga tikanga o taua ture ka rite ki to te tika, ka ea hoki pea nga hiahia o nga kai-inoi. Koia i mea ai te Komiti kia terete whakamana ate Kawanatanga ite 13 o nga rarangi o taua ture kua whakahuatia i runga ake nei. John Bryce, Akuhata 10,1877. Tumuaki.

Eeport on Petition of Hoterini Taipari and 73 Others. Petitioners state that they are the persons who signed an agreement with the Government under which certain lands in the District of Hauraki were opened as a gold field. That under such agreement the fees to be derived from miners' rights, &c., were to be paid to the petitioners, but that this has been done very irregularly, the payments being now- three-quarters of a year in arrear. The petitioners are desirous of having the books and vouchers in connection with those fees properly inspected by a skilled accountant appointed by themselves, but that hitherto they have not been allowed the opportunity; they also complain that they are defrauded of money by reason of persons exercising the rights of miners without payment. I am directed to report as follows : — That this petition is similar in effect to one from the same petitioners reported on by the Native Affairs Committee of last session. The recommendation made last session that facilities should be afforded for the inspection of the accounts, as desired by the petitioners, appears to have been indorsed by the Government; and Mr. Puckey, the Government Agent at the Thames, was instructed accordingly. Tour Committee believe that the statements of the present petition, that applications have been made to Mr. Puckey for an inspection of his accounts and refused by him, are made in error, and that if formal application be made no difficulty will be found in obtaining access to the accounts. The Committee can therefore only reaffirm the recommendation of last session, that full facilities should be given the petitioners for an inspection of the accounts in connection with miners' and other fees in which they are interested, whether those accounts are in the office of Mr. Puckey or any other officer of the Government. John Bryce, 14th August, 1877. Chairman.

[Translation.] Ko te Kupu a te Komiti mo runga i te Pukapuka-inoi a Hotereni Taipari me ona hoa c 73. E ki ana nga kai-inoi ko ratou nga tangata i tuhituhi i tetahi Pukapuka Whakaaetanga kite Kawanatanga i whakatuwheratia ai etahi whenua i Hauraki hei mahinga koura. A i runga i taua whakaaetanga i meatia kia utua ki nga kai-inoi nga moni c puta ake ana i nga mama raiti me etahi atu mea, engari kahore i tika te utunga inahoki kahore ano i utua mo nga koata etoru o te tau, koia i hiahia ai nga kai-inoi kia tirohia tikatia nga pukapuka o aua moni c tetahi tangata mohio kia whakaturia c ratou ano, engari kahore ano tera mea i tukua; eki ana hoki ratou c ngaro ana etahi moni i tika kia whiwhi ai ratou i runga i te mahinga a etahi tangata i ta te kai-keri koura mahi i te mea kahore aua tv tangata c utu. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu kite Whare: — E rite ana tenei Pukapuka-inoi ki tetahi i homai i tera tau i whiriwhiria c te Komiti mo nga mea Maori i tera nohoanga ote Eunanga. Ko te kupu ate Komiti i tera tau kia whakatuwheratia he huarahi c rite ai te hiahia a nga kai-inoi kia kite ratou i nga pukapuka moni i whakamana ano c te Kawanatanga a i puta ta ratou kupu pera ki aTe Paki te Apiha ate Kawanatanga i Hauraki. E whakaaro ana te Komiti c he ana tenei kupu a nga kai-inoi, ara, i tae he tono ki a Te Paki kia whaka* aturia ona pukapuka a kihai ia i whakaae; engari kahore he tono i tae ki a ia ekore hoki c araia te tirohanga i nga pukapuka moni. Na, heoi ano hoki te kupu ma te Komiti he whakapuaki ano ita ratou kupu o tera tau kia whakatuwheratia he huarahi ma nga kai-inoi kia kite ai ratou i nga pukapuka moni o nga mama raiti me era atu moni c whai tikanga ai ratou ahakoa i roto i te tari o Te Paki o tetahi atu Apiha ranei o te Kawanatanga. John Bryce, Akuhata 14,1877. Tumuaki.

Eeport on Petition of Eenata Kawepo and 1,022 Others, and Watene Koau and 224 Others, The petitioners express an opinion that the Native Land Court Bill, now before the House, will prove injurious to the Native race in many of its provisions, if passed into law; and, after reciting the clauses which they consider specially bad, they pray that it may not be passed hastily or without full consideration. I am directed to report as follows: — That the Native Land Court Bill referred to in the petition being now before the House, the Committee are satisfied that the objections and suggestions made by the petitioners will receive the consideration of the Legislature. John Bryce, 16th August, 1877, Chairman. 2—l. 3.