PETITIONS OF RENATA KAWEPO AND 790 OTHERS, AND PIRIPI ROPATA AND 200 OTHERS.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1877 Session I, J-01

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1877. NEW ZEALAND.

PETITIONS OF RENATA KAWEPO AND 790 OTHERS, AND PIRIPI ROPATA AND 200 OTHERS.

Presented 31st and 26th July, 1877, and ordered to be printed.

Xi te Runanga Nui o Niu Tireni kei Poneke. Te PITIHANA A UGA BaNGATIEA ME NGA TaNGATA O NOA Iwi ToKOMAHA O TEJfEI MoTU, KUA TUHIA NEI O EATOtT InGOA XI EAEO O TENEI : E WIIAKAATTT ANA, I te huihuinga o nga rangatira me nga tangata mohio o te iwi Maori ki Pakowhai i te maraina o Mci o te tau kua pahemo ake nei i oti te whiriwhiri enei take. 1. Kia tino kiia nuitia, a kia tino pono te pumautanga o ta matou whakamana i a te Kuini mo matou. A kia tino whakina c matou te pono o a matou whakaaro, kia whakamana, kia whakaaetia, kia mahia c matou i nga wa katoa i nga ra katoa Ana Ture. 2. He mea tika, he mea tino pai rawa ki to matou whakaaro, Ida whakakotahitia nga iwi o Niu Tireni: a kia huihui matou, kia kite matou i a matou : kiakorerotia o matou mate: kia kohikohi matou i nga korero c pai ana kia tukua kite Paremete Nui o tenei Koroni : hei take korero mo taua Paremete. 3. E ki ana matou c tika ana kia tv tetahi Hui o nga rangatira o nga iwi, i ia tau, i ia tau, kia torerotia nga mea katca epa ana o whai mana ana ranei kia matou; kia kimihia a matou mate; kia ata korerotia nga mea c pai ana kia tukua kite aroaro ote Paremete Nui ote Koroni. Ma te Hui c whakarite te kainga 'iei nohoanga mo te Hui, o te tau i muri iho o taua Hui. 4. Me whiriwhiri c matou, inaianei nga tangata c pai ana kia tv ratou hei Komiti whakahaere i nga mea katoa kua whukaaetia i roto i nga kupu Tuarua, Tuatoru o enei korero. 5. E mea ana matou kia whakakahoretia te Ture whai mana i enei ra. mo nga Mema Maori o te Paremete, ara, ko te Ture c mea ana, kia tukua ki taua Paremete nga Mema Maori tokoiti mo nga tangata Maori, ki nga Mema Pakeha, mo nga tangata Pakeha ; a kia whakarerea nga Takiwa Pooti o naianei; me whakarite nga rohe o nga tino iwi, hei rohe mo nga Takiwa Pooti hou. G. E mea ana matou ko nga whakahaerenga o nga hoko o nga whenua Maori, i runga i nga ritenga c whai mana ana inaianei, he mea whakapohehe he mea kino, a me mutu te hoko i runga i aua tv ritenga ; kaua te whenua c hokona ite takiwa c takoto papatupu ana. Mehemea ka whakaae te Iwi te Hapu ranei, me nga Bangatira ranei, kia ruritia, kia Kootitia te whenua, katahi ka tika kia ruritia kia Kootitia mehemea ka whakaaetia c te tokomaha kia hokona te whenua, katahi ka tika kia hokona. I te takiwa kahore ano i whakaaetia te hoko kaua he moni c puta atu ki nga tangata na ratou te whenua, me mutu hoki te haere pokanoa a nga Apiha o te Kawanatanga, ki nga takiwa Maori kite tohe ki nga tangata Maori kia tukua o ratou whenua kia ruritia kia Kootitia ranei. Me waiho te whakaaro ki aua tangata mo te ruritanga, mo te Kootitanga ranei, o a ratou whenua. 7. E mea ana matou kia whakakahoretia te Ture c whai mana ana inaianei c whakamana ana taua Ture i te Kawanatanga kite pupuri i nga whenua Maori, kia kaua aua whenua c hokona ki nga Pakeha noa atu. 8. E mea ana matou ko nga Ture katoa c whakatu ana i nga Kooti Whakawa Whenua o naianei kia whakakahoretia. Me homai etc Paremete ote Koroni tetahi Ture marama, Ture whakahaere tika i nga whenua Maori. Me ki taua Ture kia rite nga Kai whakawa o nga Kooti Whakawa Whenua Maori, ki nga Kai whakawa o etahi atu Kooti Tuturu, kia kaua te Kawanatanga c whai mana ki runga ki aua Kai whakawa whenua Maori. 9. E mea ana matou ko tena Kawanatanga i whakaturia i te tau 1869, he Kawanatanga kino; kahore ona mahi tika; kahore ona whakaaro pai mo te Iwi Maori. Ma te Paremete c turaki taua Kawanatanga. 10. Me tuhituhi c matou he Pitihana korero pa, ki to matou Kuini tono ki a la, kia tukua mai tetahi tangata korero pono, mahi tika, hei kimi i a matou mate, hei tuhituhi i a matou mate hei tuhituhi i a matou korero, kia kitea c to matou Kuini. I muri iho o taua hui i whakaurua aua take ki roto o tetahi Pitihana a tukua ana kite Paremete. Ko etahi o nga tikanga o roto o aua take i ahua oti te whakaaro c te Paremete.

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I te maratna o Maehe o tenei tau i huihui ano nga rangatira me nga tangata mohio o nga iwi ki Omaliu kite korero i te mahinga a te Paremete i taua pitihana o tera tau, a kite whakaaro ano hoki i nga mea c pa ana kite Iwi Maori. A i oti enei take i muri nei te whiriwhiri c te Hui ki Omaliu. 1. Ko te mahi tuatahi o teuei Hui he whakahou i te ki kia noho pai i raro o te mana o te Kuini me Ana Ture. 2. Ko te Hui c whakapai ana kite Pareinete mo tona ata whiriwhiri i nga mea c pa ana kite iwi Maori, ahakoa he maha nga mate nuuui o te Maori kei te toe hei mahinga. 3. E koa ana te Hui ki tana rongonga kua mutu rawa te hoko a te Kawanatanga i nga whenua Maori. Ko nga kino ipa kite iwi Maori i runga i nga mahi a nga kai hoko whenua ate Kawanatanga, kanui te maha, a he tika rawa te mutunga c taua tv mahi. 4. E koa ana te Hui kite whakaritenga o te tv o nga Mema Maori kite tv o nga Mema Pakeha, ara, ko to rite tenei, kua pumau: Engari, c mea ana ano te Hui mo ta ratou tono o tera Hui kia hanga tetahi Ture hou, Ture tuturu kia riterite nga Mema Maori mo nga tangata Maori, ki nga Mema Pakeha mo nga tangata Pakeha, a kia whakarerea nga Takiwa Pooti o naianei, me whakarite nga rohe o nga tino iwi hei rohe mo nga Takiwa Pooti hou. 5. E koa ana te Hui kei tenei Paremete c haere ake nei ka hanga he Ture hou mo te Kooti Whakawa Whenua Maori. Nui atu te mate ote iwi Maori i nga tau ka pahemo ako nei, ite kino o nga Ture mo nga Whenua Maori. Na te kino o nga Ture ka murua noatia c te Pakeha kino nga wnenua o te Maori i Haaku Pei nei me etahi atu wahi. 6. E whakapai ana te Hui kite whakamananga a te Paremete i te Pooti o Karaitiana mo te Takiwa Pooti o te Tai Rawhiti a mo te tukunga i a ia ki roto o te Runanga nui o te Paremete. 7. I roto o te Ture hou ka hanga nei mo nga whenua Maori c mea ana te Hui kia whakamana nga putake i oti ite Hui ki Pakowhai i tenei tau kua pahemo ake nei. Koia enei nga putake i oti: (a.) E mea ana matou ko nga Ture katoa c whakatu ana i nga Kooti Whakawa Whenua o naianei kia whakakahoretia, me homai c te Paremete o te Koroni tetahi Ture marama Ture whakahaere tika i nga whenua Maori. Me ki taua Ture kia rite nga Kai whakawa o nga Kooti Whakawa Whenua Maori, ki nga Kai whakawa o etahi atu Kooti Tuturu kia kaua te Kawanatanga c whai mana ki runga ki aua Kai whakawa Whenua Maori. (5.) E mea ana matou kia whakakahoretia te Ture c whai mana ana inaianei c whakamana ana taua Ture i te Kawanatanga kite pupuri i nga whenua Maori kia kaua aua whenua c hokona ki nga Pakeha noa atu. (c.) E mea ana matou ko nga whakahaerenga o nga hoko o nga whenua Maori i runga i nga ritenga c whai mana ana iuaianei he mea whakapohehe, he mea kino, a me mutu te hoko i runga i aua tv ritenga, kaua te whenua c hokona ite Takiwa c takoto papatupu ana. Mehemea ka whakaae te iwi te Hapu ranei me nga Rangatira ranei kia ruritia kia Kootitia te whenua, katahi ka tika kia ruritia, kia Kootitia, mehemea ka whakaaetia c te tokomaha kia hokona te whenua, katahi ka tika kia hokona. I te takiwa kahore ano i whakaaetia te hoko kaua he moni c puta atu ki nga tangata na ratou te whenua me mutu hoki te haere pokanoa a nga Apiha o te Kawanatanga ki nga Takiwa Maori kite tohe ki nga tangata Maori, kia tukua o ratou whenua kia ruritia, kia Kootitia ranei. Me wailio te whakaaro ki aua tangata, mo te ruritanga mo te Kootitanga ranei o a ratou whenua. 8. Kia whakamana te Ture mo te Maori kia uru ki roto ki nga Huuri i roto o nga Kooti Pakeha, ana whakawa i nga mea c uru ai te Maori. 9. Ko nga rangatira me nga tangata mohio o nga Iwi katoa o te Motu nei, me mea c ratou nga ingoa o nga tangata c tika ana kia whai Pooti, kia eke ki runga o nga Pukapuka Pooti. 10. Ko te Iwi Maori o te Koroni katoa, me kaua c Pooti mo nga Kaunihera hou, kei waiho hei putake tono moni kia puta ki nga Kaunihera mo nga whenua a te Maori. 11. Ko te Kawanatanga me kaha atu tana mahi kite whakatu kura ki nga wahi katoa o te motu kia mohio ai nga tamariki Maori kite reo Pakeha, ma tenei hoki ka rite kite Pakeha ka mohio hoki ki nga mahi nana nei i whakanui te iwi Pakeha. 12. Ko te hui c mea ana ki nga rangatira katoa mo nga iwi katoa o te motu kia whakarere i nga mahe tawhito, a kia hoki kite karakia tika me nga whakaako a te Karaipiture. 13. E koa ana te hui kite otinga o nga tautohe mo Kakirawa me Te Awa-a-te-Atua i runga i te utunga o tetahi moni nui me te whakahokinga o tetahi wahi o te whenua. Katahi hoki ni;a Pakeha o nga motu nei ka mohio c hara i te parau nga whakahe a nga Maori o Haku Pei, mo nga mahi he a Tatana me etahi atu Pakeha. Mehemea hoki kaore ihe a ratou mahi c kore c puta tenei moni nui mo Kakirawa raua ko Te Awa-a-te-atua. 14. Kanui te whakahe ote Hui kite whakatunga Ko Tatana hei Mema mo te Paremete c nga Pakeha o Nepia, hei whakakapi i te nohoanga o Ta Tatiara Makarini. Ko nga Maori o Haku Pei c kore c whakapono ki nga mahi a te tangata i mahi nei i te mate nui mo ratou, a ka mea te Hui kia kaua nga kupu a Tatana i roto o te Paremete c whakarangona a kia meatia c nga Mema o nga wahi katoa, kia kimihia nga putake i tukua ai he tangata penei me Tatana hei whakakapi i te nohoauga o te Makarini. 15. E whakatika ana te Hui kite mahi a nga tangata o Ngatahira, ara, ki ta ratou puritanga kia kaua c riro i a Tatana, a c mea ana te Hui kia kaua te Kawanatanga me te Paramete c tautoko i a Tatana kite mahi i tenei he nui kite iwi Maori, i raro o te ingoa tapu o te Ture. 16. Ko te Hui c whakamoerniti ana kia Ta Hori Kerei mo tana kaha kite mahi i nga mea o telwi Maori ki nga Mema hoki i tautoko i a ia kite tiaki kite whakahaere i nga mea a te Maori i roto o te Paremete. 17. Ko te Iwi Maori taihoa c whakahe, c whakapai ranei kite Kawanatanga hou nei, engari, kia ata kitea a ratou mahi, te tika, te he ranei, kia kore ai c taea te ki, c tautoko aua, c whakaae ana ranei te Iwi Maori i tenei Kawanatanga, kahore he take. 18. He mea tika he mea tino pai rawa ki to matou whakaaro kia whakakotahitia nga Iwi o Niu Tireni a kia huihui matou kia kite matou i a matou ; kia korerotia o matou mate; kia kohikohi matou i nga korero c pai ana kia tukua kite Paremete Nui o tenei Koroni hei take korero mo taua Paromete. 19. Ko nga rangatira katoa o nga Iwi, me turaki i te kai waipiro, a me mahi c te Paremete he ture c taea ai te whakahara te tangata kawe atu i te waipiro ki nga kainga o te Maori.

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20. Ko tenei Hui c meaana kaua te Paremete c arai i te mahi a te Iwi Maori mo o ratou whenua i riro he nei, engari me tuku aua mea ma nga Kooti o te Koroni c mahi. Ko enei whakaaro katoa o te Iwi Maori c tukua ana kia whakaarohia c te Paremete o te Koroni. A c inoitia ana kia tino whakaarohia enei tono tika a ratou c te Paremete a kia tino whakanekehia atu enei kino me enei mate. A ko a koutou kai Pitihana ka inoi tonu : Renata Kawepo me ona hoa c 790. Pieipi Ropata me ona hoa c 200. _________________ <)

[Translation.] To the House of Representatives at Wellington. The Petition op the Chiefs and People or the Majority of the Tribes of this Island whose Names are hereunder set foeth. Humbly showetf, — That at the meeting of the chiefs and people of understanding at Pakowhai, in the month of May, of the year last past, these resolutions were come to : — 1. That every publicity should be given to the faithfulness of our allegiance to the Queen, and that we should publicly declare that we will be faithful in giving effect to, in consenting to, and in carrying out Her laws at all times. 2. That it is right and good in our opinion that the tribes of New Zealand should be united, and that we should assemble to see each other and talk over our grievances ; also to select what subjects are proper to be laid before the great Parliament of the colony, with a view to their being discussed therein. 3. We say that it is right that a meeting of chiefs of tribes should be held every year to discuss everything affecting or having authority over us ; to look into our grievances, and to consider what matters it is proper to lay before the great Parliament of the colony. It will be for this meeting to decide where the next one is to be held, during the coming year. 4. We should now select suitable persons as a committee to carry out the second and third resolutions. 5. We say that the present Maori Representation Act should be repealed —that is to say, the law which only allows a few representatives for the Maori people in proportion to the European representation. That the present electoral districts should be abolished, and the great tribal boundaries made the divisions between the new electoral districts. 6. We say that the conduct of the Native land purchases under the Act at present in force is very confusing and very bad, and that purchases under these regulations should be stopped. Land should not be sold while the original title exists. If the tribe, the hapu, and the chiefs consent to survey and to have the title to the land investigated by the Court, then only will it be right that such survey and investigation should lake place. If all consent to sell land, then only will it be right to sell. When the consent to sell has not been obtained, let no money be paid to the persons owning the land ; and a stop should also be put to the unauthorized going of Government officers to urge the Natives to sell their lands, or to have them passed through the Court. Let the question of the survey of, and investigation of title to, their lands vest with the owners thereof. 7. We desire that the law which is now in force, and which authorizes the Government to prevent Native lands from being sold to private individuals, should be done away with. 8. We desire that all the laws at present in operation under which the Native Land Court is working should be repealed, and that the Parliament of the colony should pass a clear Act, and one under which Native land matters could be fairly dealt with. It should be provided in that Act that the Judges of the Native Land Court should hold the same status as Judges of other permanent Courts, and that the Government should have no authority over such Native Land Court Judges. 9. We say that the Government formed in the year 1869 is a bad Government; it does nothing right; it has no good thought towards the Maoris. Let the Parliament upset that Government. 10. Wo should address a respectful petition to our Queen praying her to send hither a trustful and upright man to inquire into our grievances, to write them down, and to write down our statements, in order that our Queen may see them. After that meeting had concluded the above resolutions were embodied in a petition and submitted to Parliament. Some of the points raised therein do not appear to have been finally settled by Parliament. In the month of March of this present year the chiefs and people of knowledge among the tribes assembled at Omahu to discuss the action taken by Parliament on last year's petition, and to give consideration to matters affecting the Native race. And these were the resolutions come to afterwards at the meeting at Omahu : — 1. The first business of this meeting is a renewal of the expressions of loyalty to the Queen and Her laws. 2. The meeting expresses its sense of pleasure that the Parliament should have so carefully considered questions affecting the Native race; but still there are many great grievances of the Maoris remaining which require attention. 3. The meeting is glad to hear that the Government have altogether given up purchasing Native land. The evils which have fallen upon the Maori people through the action of the Government Land Purchase Officers have been very great, and it is very proper that the system should be put an end to. 4. The meeting is glad to hear that the Maori members have been put upon the same footing as the European members, so far as permanency is concerned; but in reference to their application made

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last year, the meeting thinks that a new and fixed Act should be passed, making the 'representation of the Maori people by Maoris proportionate to the representation of the European people by Europeans, that the present electoral districts should be abolished, and that the great tribal boundaries should be made the division between the new electoral districts. 5. The meeting is glad that at the next ensuing session of Parliament a new Act will be passed affecting the Native Land Court. The Maoris hav.e suffered greatly in the past through the bad .Native land laws. Through the evils iv the laws bad Europeans have seized without consideration the lands of the Maoris at Hawke's Bay and at other places. 6. The meeting is pleased because the Parliament has confirmed the election of Karaitiana for the Eastern Electoral District, and has allowed him to take his seat in the House of Representatives. 7. In the new Bill which is to be brought in affecting Native lands, the meeting ask that the resolutions come to at the Pakowhai meeting last year may be given effect to. [Vide Nos. 3, 7, 6, above.] 8. The Act which allows Maoris to sit on juries in the Europeans Courts in cases where Maorin are concerned should be carried out. 9. The chiefs and people of knowledge of all the tribes in this Island should have the names of those who are qualified placed on the electoral roll. 10. The Maoris throughout the colony should not vote for the new Councils, lest it be made a ground for demanding money for the Councils on account of Native lands. 11. The Government should use every endeavour to have schools established throughout the colony, so that the Maori children may learn the English language, for by this they will be on the same footing as the Europeans, and will become acquainted with the means by which the Europeans have become great. 12. The meeting asks the chiefs and all the people of the Island to lay aside all old deeds, to return to the right religion, and the teachings of Scripture. 13. The meeting is glad that the disputes about Kakirawa and Te Awa-a-te-atua have been settled by the payment of a large sum of money, and the giving back of a portion of the land. The Europeans of these Islands will now know that the objections raised by the Maoris to the wrong-doings of Mr. Sutton and others, of Hawke's Bay, are not untrue ; for if they had not done wrong, this large sum of money would not have been paid for Kakirawa and To Awa-a-te-atua. 14. The meeting strongly objects to the return of Mr. Sutton, as member for the Europeans of Napier, to succeed Sir Donald McLean. The Maoris of Hawke's Bay will not believe in the actions of a man who has been the means of their suffering such evils, and the meeting says that Mr. Button's statements made in the Parliament should not be listened to, and that the members from all the different places should try to find out the reason why such a man as Mr. Sutton is allowed to fill Sir Donald McLean's seat. 15. The meeting approves of the action taken by the people of Ngatahira —that is, their keeping hold of it, lest Mr. Sutton should get it; and the meeting asks that neither the Parliament nor the Government should support Mr. Sutton in doing this great wrong towards the Maoris, under cover of the sacred name of the law. 16. The meeting praises Sir George Grey for his energy in working for the Maoris, and also praises the members who supported him in looking after and carrying out Native matters in the Parliament. 17. The Maori people will not at present express an opinion adverse to, or in favour of, the new Government now in office, but will wait to see whether they do right or do wrong, so that it cannot be said that the Maoris are supporting or agreeing to this Government without any grounds for doing so. 18. It is right and very good in our opinion that the tribes of New Zealand should be united, that we should meet and see each other to talk over our grievances, and to choose such subjects as are proper to send to the great Parliament of this colony, there to form matter for discussion. 19. All the chiefs of the tribes are to entirely do away with the drinking of spirituous liquors, and the Parliament should pass an Act to allow of penalties being inflicted on persons taking liquor to the Native settlements. 20. This meeting desires that Parliament will not put any obstacle in the way of the Maoris in respect to the action they are taking with reference to their lands which have gone from them wrongfully ; but let the Courts of the colony deal with such cases. These thoughts of the Maoris are submitted for the consideration of the Parliament of the colony. And it is prayed that their just requests may be considered by the Parliament, and that these evils and grievances may be entirely removed. And your petitioners will ever pray : Ren at a Kawepo and 790 others. Pieipi Eopata and 200 others.

By Authority: Geobge Didsbttry, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB77. Price 3d/]