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No. 231 of 1880.~Petition of Hoani Amorangi and 62 Others, Petitioners pray that the price of Native lands should be fixed before sale; also, that road lines should be carefully selected. I am directed to report as follows : — That this petition seems to refer to the Native policy now under the consideration of Parliament; the Committee has therefore no recommendation to make. 21st July, 1880.
[Translation.] No. 231 of 1880. —Pukapuka-inoi a Hoani Amoea]s t<h me etahi c 62. E iuoi ana nga Kai-pitihana kia whakaritea rawa te utu o te whenua i mua atu o te hoko, a tetahi ko nga rama rori me ata whiriwhiri. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei:— Notemea ko tenei pitihana c pa ana ki nga tikanga whakahaere mo te taha Maori a kei te whakaarohia c te Paremete heoi kaore he kupu a te Komiti. 21 Hurae, 1880.
No. 232 of 18S0.—Petition of the Ngatiapa Tribe. Petitioners state that they were interested in land which was brought into Court on the 24th June, 1880, at Bulls, the other claimants being the Ngatihauiti Tribe; that on the sth July, after the case for the latter tribe had been nearly completed, and before the petitioners had entered upon theirs, the Court decided that it would not any longer hear lawyers ; that by this action the petitioners were hindered from fairly stating their case; that thereupon they withdrew, and the Court closed; that by the action of the Court they had lost about £500 in expenses incurred. The petitioners pray for redress. I am directed to report as follows : —■ That it would seem that the Court considered that the legal gentlemen employed were very unnecessarily consuming time, to the great cost of the parties concerned as well as to the country. It may be a question whether, having allowed counsel for a time, it would not have been more judicious to allow the case to come to an end without interference. In this regard the Committee has evidence to warrant the belief that the proceedings, if begun afresh, without lawyers or agents, would probably save money to the petitioners. It is further in evidence that a new sitting of the Court will be shortly held for this case, under a new Judge and a new Assessor. Pending the result of the new trial the Committee cannot at present recommend any action. The Committee also thinks it right to call the attention of the Government to the fact stated by the Chief Judge in his evidence before the Committee to the effect that, beyond the power of excluding lawyers or agents altogether, the Court has no control over their action, or any power to tax their charges, and that lawyers by professing to act as native agents can escape taxation and control by the Supreme Court or any other Court. 21st July, 1880.
[TRANSLATION.] No. 232 of 1880.—Pukapuka-inoi a Ngatiapa. E ki ana nga Kai-pitihana i whai take ratou ki tetahi whenua i kawea ki roto kite Kooti i Puurutaone ite24 o Hune, 1880. Ko te hunga whakatete mo reira ko Ngatihauiti, na i te 5 o nga ra o Hurae, ano kua mutu te taha ki a Ngatihauiti a kaore ano i tiinataria to nga Kai-pitihana whakamutua ana o te Kooti nga roia ; no ruiiga i taua whakahaere kore ana c puta tika te whakawa a nga Kai-pitihana unuhia ana c ratou ki waho a kopi ana te Kooti. I pau a ratau moni c £500 i runga i taua whakahaere a te Kooti heoi c inoi ana nga Kai-pitihana kia whai-tikangatia to ratou mate. Kua whakahaua ahau kia ki penei:— I whakaarohia c te Kooti c roa noa iha ana te takiwa i nga roia kaore he tikanga, engari c nui ana nga moni c pau ana i a ratou a nga hunga epa ana kite whenua. Engari i tukua ano nga roia kia malii mo etahi ra, kaati ko te huarahi tika pea mci tukua ano aua roia kia mahi tonu a mutu noa te whakawa. Na mo tenei c whakaaro ana te Komiti i runga i nga korero kua tae mai ki tona aroaro mehemea c whakawakia houtia ana taua mea me kaua he roia he kai-whakahaere ranei tera c toe he moni ki nga Kai-pitihana. Tetahi mea i roto i nga korero ko te Kooti ka tata ano te tv mo taua wliakawa, ka tv he Kai-whakawa hou he Ateha hou hold, na i runga i te waiho atu i tenei mea ma taua whakawa hou kaore he kupu i naianei ate Komiti kia pewhetia ranei he ritenga. E whakaaro ana ano hoki te Komiti kia whakamaharatia te Kawanatanga kite kupu a te Tumuaki Kai-whakawa i roto i ana korero i te aroaro o te Komiti, penei na, heoti ano te mana o te Kooti ko te whakakore roia, kaiwhakahasre ranei, na kaore c eke atu te mana o te Kooti kite whaka-tikatika i nga moni c meatia ana c aua roia kia utua ki a ratou, ma te whakahaere hoki a nga roia i runga i te ahua kai-whakahaero mo nga Maori c hapa ai te mana o te Hupirimi Kooti me etahi atu Kooti kite whakatikatika i nga utu mo ratou. 21 Hurae, 1880.
No. 47 of 1880. —Petition of Atareta Wiremtj Kingt. Petitioner states that her land called Pukeinanuka is held by Captain Morris. She prays that it may be returned to her. I am directed to report as follows : — That it seems that, at the hearing of the land claims referred to, the petitioner was in the King country with the rebels, but that her near relatives were present at the inquiry. The petitioner's relatives joined in the sale of the block to Captain Morris. The Committee has no recommendation to make. 23rd July, 1880.