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1.—2.

I am directed to report as follows: — That the Committee regret that the time at their disposal has not been sufficient to enable them to make such inquiries as would justify them in reporting an opinion on the subject-matter of this petition. 12 th December, 1879.

[Teanslation.] No. 353, Session ll.—Te Pitihana a Wieemu Gittos. Eki ana te kai-pitihana i mate tetahi Maori ko Wi Apo, i nga tau 15 kua pahure ake nei; na i aia c ora ana i roto ia i tetahi poraka whenua ko Pakiri; a i tukua eia ona tama c rua kite kai-pitihana tiaki ai i mua ake o tona matenga. I hokona taua whenua kite Kawanatanga ako nga hea o aua tamariki c £400. Ko tetahi rangatira Maori ko Arama Karaka raua ko te Hiana nga kai-tiaki o aua tamariki c noho ana hoki ite kura o Otamatea. No te kore moni hei whangai ka tono atu te kaipitihana ki nga kai-tiaki mo te £20, i kiia kua otic raua te whakanoho ki tona ingoa. No tona haerenga kite titiro kaore he moni i tukua ki tona ingoa, E mea ana ano hoki ia kaore ano i riro i aua tamariki o raua hea i roto i taua whenua i hokona nei kite Kawanatanga. E inoi ana ia kite Whare kia kimihia nga take katoa c korerotia ana c ia. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei : —• E pouri ana te Komiti mo te poto o te takiwa i a ratou hei tirotirohanga c tika ai te whakatau kupu mo runga i nga putake korero o roto i tenei pitihana. 12 Tihema, 1879.

No. 301, Session ll.—Petition of Pene te Puna aud 3 others. Petitionees state that some of them are grantees from the Crown, or successors of deceased persons, or husbands of female grantees. That Archibald Anderson and James Watt held the blocks of land called Te Awa-o-te-Atua and Kakiraawa; but the validity of the title was disputed. That petitioners executed a deed of conveyance and confirmation in January, 1870, to the above-named persons, for £17,500. The arrangement for the execution of the deed was effected on petitioner's behalf by the Hon. Henry Russell and John Sheehan, and that these two gentlemen received the £17,500. That no account has beeu rendered by the Hon. Henry Russell and John Sheehan of the manner iv which the sum has been disbursed. It is stated that large sums were paid for legal costs, and some part is alleged to have been lodged in tho Bank. Small sums have been paid to some of the petitioners, but not tho full amount due to them. Petitioners are advised that to obtain redress by recourse to law would be very expensive, and might be indefinitely protracted, and petitioners have not the means to institute proceedings. They pray that the above subjects may be investigated and inquired into by the House. I am directed to report as follows :— That the Committee regret that the time at their disposal has not been sufficient to enable them to make such inquiries as would justify them in reporting an opinion on the subject-matter of this petition. 12th December, 1579.

[Translation.] No. 301, Sessiou ll.—Te Pitihana a Pene te Puna me etahi atu c toru. E ki ana nga kai-pitihana he tangata Karauna karaati ratou ko etahi he riwhi tupapaku he tano ranei no nga wahine o roto ite Karauna karaati. Na i a Atiporo Hanara me Hemi Wata c pupuri ana nga poraka aTe Awa-o-te-Atua me Kakiraawa, engari c whakahetia aua te hoko. I tuhi nga kai-pitihana i tetahi pukapuka hoko whakatuturu i Hanuere, 1870, ki aua tangata i runga ake nei mo nga moni c £17,500. Ko nga kai-whakahaere ote taha ki nga kai-pitihana i runga ite whakaatu i taua pukapuka ko Henare Rata me Hone Hiana, a i riro i a raua te £17,500. Kaore ano be kaute i tukua ake c Henare Rata raua ko te Hiana ki aua kai-pitihana whakamarama i te whakahaerenga o aua moni. E kiia ana he nui nga wahi o aua moni i riro kite whakarite i nga moni i pau i runga ite ture ako tetahi wahi i hoatu ki roto kite Peeke. Kua utua ano etahi wahi iti o aua moni ki nga kaipitihana engari kaore ano nga moni katoa c tika ana kia puta ki a ratou. E tohutohua ana nga kaipitihana inehetnea c kawea ana i runga i te ture he tikanga kia puta he ora ki a ratou mo taua mate era c nui nga moni c pau aka whakaroangia haere te mohiotia to taunga ki raro. Kaore hoki he mea i nga kai-pitihana hei whakahaere whakawa heoi ka inoi ratou kia rapua kia kimihia c te Whare nga putake i runga ake nei. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei:— E pouri ana te Komiti mo te poto o te takiwa i a ratou hei tirotirohanga c tika ai te whakatau kupu mo runga i nga putake korero o roto i tenei pitihana. 12 Tihema, 1879.

No. 295, Session II. —Petition of Mom Ngatata. Petitionee prays that certain lands at Taranaki, which were confiscated by the Government, and which lands descended to him from his grandfather aud grandmother, may be returned to him—he never having taken part in the strife between the Europeans and Natives. I am directed to report as follows : — That the Committee regret that the time at their disposal has not been sufficient to enable them to complete the inquiry into this petition. 12th December, 1879.