No. 444.—Petition of Piripi te Maari and 24 Others.

Petitioners pray for compensation for losses they have sustained in connection with the Wairarapa Lakes.

I have the honour to report as follows:—

That the whole question dealt with in this petition was reported on by a Royal Commission in 1890 (vide Vol. II., Appendices, Session II., 1891, G.–4).

It is clear that the Natives have been wronged, and the only question is whether the local bodies interested or the Government should compensate them. The Committee is of opinion that it should be done by the Government, as the land was sold to the settlers, and provision made in the Public Works Act which enabled the local body to open a channel from the lake to the sea, and thus the proprietary rights of the Natives were interfered with.

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The Committee recommend that the Government should at once try to arrange the matter, either by purchasing the rights of the Natives or compensating them for any injury done.