G.—1.   38

Te Meremana complained that the Government had paid everybody except him for taking a water-race ow- the hills.

Hakipene Hum spoke about Hikutaia No. 1, that was sold by two Natives, and a number of owners did not agree to the sale. That European, to whom it was sold by the two, took possession as a sum. The land was not leased, and when that European failed the creditors seized the place lie was living on as an asset in his estate. He (Hakipene) wants it returned to the Native owners. That of hand is within the boundaries of the block owned by the Natives. [Hikutaia No. 1 Block.] Another matter is about the land taken for the railway. Ohoupo Nos. 1 and 2 are the pieces in dispute. He has applied to the person in charge of the railway line to pay him for that piece, but has net got the money. Another subject he has to speak about is the kauri timber on Hikutaia No. 2 and Whangamata No. 3 Blocks. These lands were put through the Court at Short-land, and the Government then purchased them. Fourteen owners received payment, and four were allowed to receive a separate payment on account of the kauri timber. There were two purchases, one for the timber and one for the land; fourteen were paid for the land and four for the timber. The twenty-seven people did not get any payment for the kauri timber. These twenty-four were the owners of Hikutaia No. 2, and thirty were in the Whangamata No. 3 Block. Thirty owners obtained payment for the land, and four only obtained payment for the timber, and these four who got money for the timber were part of the thirty who got payment for the land. He thinks the Government. ought to consider this matter, and pay the others who did not get' so much as the four.

Matiu Pono said he would refer to the matter spoken of by Moremana—namely, the water-race. Some landowners, over whose land the race runs, have been paid, some have not. His (Matiu's) portion was not paid. For about a mile it runs over laud owned by himself and his hapu, which has not been paid for, extending no to the reservoir within the gold fields. There is a piece at the reservoir owned by his and another hapu. The reservoir is owned by them. They have never been paid for time water going over their land, and their land has suffered by caving-in and other matters through the water-race being opened over it. Sir Donald McLean promised that the matter should be settled some other time. Matiu Pono went on to say that he was ready to give up land for roads without asking for payment. He has received a notification from the Thames Borough Council to pay for sonic land at Tararu. There are a number of them who have claims to land over which the road goes at Coromandel, and they have been asked to pay rates. They have given up the land for nothing for the roads, and do not think that they should be charged for rates, and ask that the rates should not be enforced. He (Pono) would not agree yet that the land over which the railway goes should be surveyed. With reference to the land that has been surveyed in the past, the surveyors have asked the Maoris to write to the Government requesting them to pay the surveyors for their labour, that the Government. should settle with them. He would agree to this if the Government would lay no claim to the land, having paid for the surveys. If the Government do not put the payment they niche to the surveyors as a lien upon the land he is willing that they should pay them. Another matter is about the Europeans who go out and catch flat fish on the mud flats. All those toed flats are owned by the Hauraki people. He wishes the Minister to stand up for them in this matter.

Epeniha said he would speak about the reward that has been published for the finding of gold in the Thames District. Asks that money should be paid to no other people than those of Hauraki.

Mango said that he gave up his land for the gold to be worked, and considered that he should have been paid money when the gold was got. Mr. Puckey was appointed to pay the miners' rights fees to them; but, after he left, the payments on the three blocks—Kauaeranga No. 13, and Tutukaka—dwindled down to almost nothing. When Mr. Wilkinson was appointed, he claimed front hint payment on account of Kauaeranga No. 13, but never gut it. After Mr. Wilkinson went away he demanded it front Mr. Konrick. Mr. Remick told him that there was no revenue from there. The money he gets from Tutukaka is very small; it is only for residence sites but he considers diet it is not right that he should be put off with only the fees for residence sites. Some of the lands that they gave for gold mining are now lying idle, and they want the Government to remove the Goldfields Regulations from those lands where there is no.

Ngapari said there had been a road taken through a tapu, to which he objected. The Europeans climb up and go over it, and when the fence is broken by Europeans climbing over the cattle get in. He wishes the Minister to give effect to the tapu, to keep people from going on it. When Mr. Shee au was Native Minister lie spoke to hen about land called Te    he did not receive the payment for it. During Mr. Bryee's time he applied for a payment of Native revenue from Grahaunstown.

A Native (whose name could not be ascertained) said that he applied, in 1874, for dead people's shares in some land. The people who made the order said that they had leased. The name of the block is Tapapa No. 1, at Te Puriri. He put the land through the Court. Has never been able to do anything in the absence of the map. Another matter is in connection with a block called Arikirau No. 3 ; he applied for the shares of some dead people, but never got a hearing.

Hohepo asked for a Government medical officer at Coromandel, and asked that the appointment should be restored to Dr. Hovell. Another matter is with regard to people getting oysters on the beach frontages of their lands ; think that these people should pay a license-fee to the Natives.

Te Raika said he had been appointed a trustee for eight children of a man named Utuku; the name of the block in which he was interested is Pukewhau. When their father died and they were left orphane they had no house to live in, and asked that he (Raika) should dispose of their parents' interest, in the land and build them a house, to which he agreed. When he signed the deed the house had been commenced. When he signed he asked for payment of the moneys in the