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1.—3

That the Committee recommend the petition to the careful consideration of the Government and the Assembly in connection with the Native Land Sales Suspension Bill now before the House of Eepresentatives. John Sheehan, 25th September, 1877. Chairman.

[Translation.] KO TE KUPU A TE KOMITI MO RUNGA I TE PUKAPUKA-INOI A NePIA ToKITAHI MA. E mea ana nga kai-inoi kia kaua c hanga he Ture hou mo nga Whenua Maori a tenei tau, engari me waiho ki tera tau whakaoti ai kia ahei ai nga iwi c rua te uru tahi kite hanga i te ture, a c tono ana hoki ratou kia whakaturia kia wha tekau raugatira hei hanga ture mo te iwi Maori. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu kite Whare :— E mea ana te Komiti ma te Kawanatanga me te Eunanga c te ata whiriwhiri nga tikanga o tenei pukapuka-inoi ma korerotia te Pire Whakatarewa i nga Hoko Whenua Maori, kei te aroaro o te Whare inaianei. John Sheehan, Hepetema 25, 1877. Tumuaki.

Eepobt on Petition of Hare Hongi Hika and Others. The petitioners urge— 1. That the Counties Act should be translated into Maori. 2. That each separate person in a Crown grant should receive a separate rate account. 3. That land over which the Native title has not been extinguished should not be subject to be rated, and — , 4. That large areas should not have to pay high rates. The petitioners also think County Councils should give one month's grace after sending in rate accounts. And are further of opinion that dogs should only be taxed in towns and not in the country districts. And that the Council should also decide as to steps which ought to be taken in respect of aged women, indigent persons, aud orphans. I am directed to report as follows: — 1. That the request of the petitioners for the translation of the Counties Act into Maori is reasonable and should be complied with. 2. That as the Committee understand the position of the existing law, Native lands not through the Court, or through the Court and still in the occupation of the aboriginal owners, are not liable to be rated without the consent of such owners. Therefore it does not appear to be necessary to entertain the second and third requests made in the petition. The Committee are glad to hear that the Native population in the Northern Counties are paying rates of their own accord. 3. That, as the rate is levied by valuation, allowance is made for lands not farmed or beneficially occupied, as asked for in paragraph 4. 4. The Committee do not think it is necessary to make any alteration in the law in relation to dog-licenses, so as to exempt bush settlements from its operation. 5. The Committee recommend that requests in paragraphs 6 and 7 of the petition, dealing respectively with the question of giving one month's grace to pay rates, and with the question of charitable aid, to the consideration of the Government, to be dealt with if thought desirable in the Counties Act Amendment Bill. John Sheehan, 25th September, 1877. Chairman.

[Teanslation.] Ko te Kupu a te Komiti mo eunga i te Pukapuka-inoi a Hare Hongi Hika ma. E tono ana nga Kai-inoi— 1. Kia whakamaoritia te Ture mo nga Kaunihera. 2. Kia tukua he tono utu takowha ki ia tangata i roto i te Karauna karaati. 3. Ko nga whenua papatupu kaua c whai-takowha. 4. Ko nga whenua nui kaua c utu i te takowha nui. E mea ana hoki nga kai-inoi kia tukua kia kotahi marama c nga Kaunihera o nga Takiwa kia takoto i muri iho o te tononga utu takowha, a c whakaaro ana ratou mo nga kuri kia whai utu nga kuri o nga taone anake kaua nga kuri i nga wahi i waho, a c mea ana hoki ratou kia whai tikanga te Kaunihera mo nga ruruhi, mo nga rawakore mo nga pani. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei atu kite Whare : — 1. He tono marama te touo a nga kai-inoi kia whakamaoritia te Ture mo nga Kaunihera Takiwa, me whakaae atu taua tono. 2. I runga i te tikanga o te ture i kitea ai c te Komiti ko nga Whenua Maori kahore ano kia whakawakia i te aroaro o te Kooti whakawa Whenua Maori, kua whakawakia ranei a kei nga Maori ano c pupuri ana kahore ano kia hokona kia retia ranei kite Pakeha kahore c tau te mana tono takowha mo aua whenua mehemea kahore nga tangata no ratou aua whenua c whakaae kite utu. No reira i kore ai he take i whiriwhiria ai nga tono tuarua tuatoru o roto ote pukapuka-inoi. Ka nui te koa o te Komiti i te rongonga ai kei te utu i nga takowha i runga i ta ratou whakaae ake nga tangata Maori o nga Takiwa o Karo. 3. E whakahaerea ana te nui teiti ranei o te utu takowha i runga ite nui i te iti ranei o nga tikanga o te whenua no reira c whakaarohia ana ano te ritenga mo nga whenua kahore c mahia ana kahore ranei c tupu mai ana he mea whai tikanga i reira, inahoki te tono i te rarangi 4. 4. Kahore te Komiti i marama kite whai kupu kia whakarerea ketia te ture c utua ai nga kuri ki kore ai c utua nga kuri o nga kainga mamao.