I.—2a

1885. NEW ZEALAND.

NATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. REPORT ON THE PETITIONS OF RENATA ROPIHA AND OTHERS AND HERA TUHANGAHANGA AND OTHERS; TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.

Beport brought tip 10th September, 1885, and ordered to be printed.

EEPOET On the Petitions of No. 16, Sess. II. —Eenata Eopiha. No. 171, Sess. ll.—Heea Tuhangahanga and 15 others. No. 61, 1885.—Eenata Eopiha. No. 81, 1885.—Eenata Eopiha and others.

Petitioners pray that the back rents, with interest accrued thereon at 10 per cent, per annum, (as agreed), for the Himatangi Block may be paid over to them, as the hapus to which they belonged refused to join in the deed of cession to the Crown, in consequence of which the rent-money has been impounded ever since. I am directed to report as follows : — 1. That the petitioners applied for the back rents and interest accrued on the Himatangi Block prior to the passing of the Himatangi Crown Grants Act. 2. The condition that all claim to this money was to be waived in consideration of the petitioner's getting the land was not adopted. 3. The Government admitted the principle that the money on account of rents, &c, was due ; and this is proved by their having placed a sum upon the estimates for that purpose. 4. The report of the Native Affairs Committee of the Legislative Council in 1883 fairly meets the merits of this case. 5. Your Committee, therefore, recommend that the claim for accrued rents and interest should be discharged in full by the Government, and that the propriety of reimbursing the expenditure, and discharging the reasonable liabilities incurred by the petitioners in this matter, should be considered in a liberal spirit. J. B. 8.-Beadshaw, 10th September, 1885. Chairman.