I.—3a.

Petition No. 423.—Presented by Mr. Wi Peee. To the Hon. the Speaker and Members of the House of Eepresentatives of the Colony of New Zealand in Parliament assembled. The petition of the Maoris humbly showeth :— 1. That, being desirous of saving the remnant of our lands for the use and benefit of our race, we pray your honourable House will take steps to pass laws to the further purcnase of Native lands. 2. That provision be made for the leasing of such lands, as we have no desire that they should remain unsettled and prevent the development of the colony, to the detriment of both races. 3. We further pray that in any proposed measures provision be made for a fair representation of our race on any Board to be appointed to administer our lands; and that your honourable House will make such laws optional, so that those who may differ from the prayer of the petition may not be prejudiced. There being an urgent necessity for the passing of legislation such as that prayed for before the present Parliament expires, your petitioners humbly pray that your honourable House will in its wisdom grant the relief desired, and, as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray. , Tamahau Mahupuku and 2 Others.

Petition No. 114.—Presented by Mr. Wi Peeb. To the Hon. the Speaker and Members of the House of Bepresentatives: Greetings to you. This is a petition from us to your Assembly in regard the Board Bill and the amendments thereto made by the Maori Committee which met at Papawai in the year 1898. That the said Board Bill be passed into law and made to apply to the east and west coasts of the North Island to be a law for our district. And that our Committee will be despatched thither [to Wellington] to co-operate with your Committee in making any amendments [which may be deemed necessary] to the said Board Bill. Sufficient: Let the prayer of your petitioners be given effect to. Enoka te Taitjsa and 36 Others.

The following petitions are similar to No. 114 above, except they only ask that the Board Bill apply to the East Coast: — No. 115. Tutanuku Tume and 72 others. No. 397. Hoera Katipo and 69 others. No. 116. Karaitiana Wirihana and 84 others. No. 411. Hone Paerata and 158 others. No. 168. H. T. Whatahoro. No. 412. Eru te Whana and 109 others. No. 169. Tamahau Mahupuku and 89 others. No. 413. Wiremu Potae and 106 others. No. 170. Hautahi Aporo aud 110 others. No. 414. Moana Tautau and 56 others. No. 321. Apirana Tukotahi and 60 others. No 439. Heta Matua and 10 others. No. 322. Aperabama te Kume and 73 others. No. 440. Eetireti Tapihana and 111 others. No. 390. Heta Hakiwai and 127 others. No. 455. Paku Maki and 288 others. No. 391. Wiremu Pikai and 58 others. No. 456. Hare Matenga and 61 others. No. 392. Tauha Nikora and 11 others. No. 467. Hori Puru and 336 others. No. 396. Ihaka Whanga and 64 others.

Feiday, 15th Septembee, 1899. petition of tupu taingakawa and te eawhiti. Mr. H. Kaihau examined. 1. The Chairman.] You presented one of these petitions, Mr. Kaihau : have you anything to say in reference to the subject yourself, or do you wish to call any witnesses?— Yes, I have something to say. 2. Very well, then, the Committee will hear you now?— This petition is the petition of the West Coast Maoris. This is a petition setting forth the views they arrived at before they sent me down here to introduce a Bill that was laid before the House in the year 1897. 3. Captain Bussell.] Will you ask him what West Coast Maoris he means ?—The tribes and hapus resident on the west coast of this Island—what is known as the Western Maori District. This petition shortly expresses the wishes of the ten thousand people who petitioned in opposition to the proposed Board Bill of last session. Therefore, in consideration of all the disabilities and grievances under which they claim to have struggled up to the present time, they have decided that it is necessary they should petition the House and request that necessary legislation be introduced and passed this session—some such legislation as will meet with the approval of the House. That is why this petition prays that the grounds set forth therein may be earnestly and carefully inquired into and considered. It is asked that a Maori Council be constituted to controland manage their lands, leases, and so forth, under such provisions as

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