37

G.—7.

EEPOET on CASE No. XI. Complaints Nos. 14, 36, 39, 40, 42, 44, 49, 98, 102.— Ex purte Waaka Kawatini, Paoea Tobotobo, Tabeha te Moana.nct, Hoeba Paretutu, Hamauona Tan&aehe, Nieai Bunga, Aiiere te Koaei, Mita Ngapu (Petane Block). This group of complaints related to the sale to Mr. Maney, on behalf of Mr. Richardson, of eight out often shares (assumed to be equal shares) in the Petane block, containing 10,908 acres. The price paid was £200 per share. The whole sum of £1,600 was paid in cash to Mr. Maney. Of the eight complainants, three—Waaka Kawatini, Paora Torotoro, Ahere te Koari —were grantees of the block who had sold their shares. All these had accounts with Maney. Mr. Maney's books were produced, and each of the complainants appeared to have been duly credited in account with the price of one-tenth, share. Ahere was candid enough to admit that he had come before the Commissioners only because he had heard that the sale of all laud, whether fairly bought or unfairly, might be questioned before them. We have directed a particular examination of the accounts of Waaka, Kawatiui, and Paora Torotoro, with Mr. Maney, and the present Report is made subject to the result of that investigation. Hoera Paretutu (No. 40), and Mita Ngapu (No. 102), did not appear when called upon in support of their complaints. The complaint of Nirai Runga (No. 41) was, that his father had sold, or, as his letter of complaint called it, had mortgaged his land for goods and spirits without consulting the other owners. He did not appear when called upon, and we intimated that we could not report in favour of a son whose only complaint was, that his father, a Crown grantee, had dissipated his own property. The complaint of Tareha (No. 39), was a general protest on behalf of those interested in the land according to native custom but not named in the Crown Grant, against the sale of the block. Such persons are commonly referred to as outsiders—" Tangata o ivaho." In our General Report we propose to make some observations on the operation of the Native Lands Act in regard to this class of claimants, who present themselves in every transaction. Hamahona Tangaehe lodged two complaints in reference to thia block. Of these, the first (No. 42) was wholly unintelligible, nor could the complainant himself explain it. The other letter of complaint (No. 9S) related to the division of the rent for the block. Hamahona has not sold his share, and consequently he regularly receives £20 per annum, being one-tenth part of the rent of £200, named in the lease of the block to Mr. Richardson. Hamahona desired that the apportionment of the rent might be varied, and that £100 a year might be paid in respect of the two unsold shares. The price paid for this block appears very low, being at the rate of 3s. Bd. an acre, but the land ia poor and hilly, only suited for pastoral purposes. Apart from the question whether the sellers who are complainants received from Mr. Maney a fair equivalent for their money, the only tangible ground of complaint we were able to find consisted in the allegation that a portion of the block should, according to the agreement made, have been excepted from the conveyance as a reserve. On this point the native witnesses contradicted one another so directly— one saying that the whole of the hills at the back were to be reserved, another, that the reserve was to be a small piece on the flat around the native settlement—that we were compelled to give credit to Maney's denial that there was any agreement for a reserve. C. W. Richmond. Note.—This Report is concurred in by Mr. Commissioner Maning.

EEPORT on CASE No. XII. Complaint ~No. 15.— Ex parte Waaka Kawatini (Rikwtoto). This complaint was about a portion of the Hikutoto block, called Te Karaka, which Te Waaka claimed as a reserve. It was at first excepted from the sale of the block to the Government, but subsequently it was included in a separate conveyance. There appeared to be no foundation whatever for the claim, which perhaps originated in a confused recollection of the original intention to reserve Te Karaka. C. W. Richmond. Note.—This Report is concurred in by Mr. Commissioner Maning. ,

EEPOET on CASE No. XIII. Complaints Nos. 17, 79, 96, 129, 133, 134, 150, 151, 158, ISO.— Ex parte Kabaitiana Takahoana, Henabe Tohoana, and OTUEBS (Heretaunga Block). These complaints related to the Heretaunga Block—a piece of land more valuable by far than any other with which our investigations were concerned. The area is stated in the Crown Grant as 19,385 acres ; but the quantity comprised in the purchase investigated by the Commissioners is between 3—G. 7.