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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/]
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