NATIVE LAND.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 662, 12 November 1909, Page 8

NATIVE LAND.

THE GOVERNMENT'S NEW BILL. CONSOLIDATING- AND AMENDING ' MEASURE. SOME IMPORTANT PROVISIONS The Native Land Bill, brought down in the Kouso at 025 a.m to-daj, distinguishes (according td tho memorandum of the Law Drafting Office) between customary land, or land held by "Maoris under a Nntive titlo in accordance with their o\in customs, and Native freehold land, which is held undci an English title, though subject to special restrictions 1 Only about half a million acres of customary 1 land remain in tho Dominion It is in a wide sense of tho word Crown land, haung never been Crown granted The new Bill classifies all land as being 1 either Crown land, European land, or Nativo land, and includes in the torm "Native land" both customary land and Nativo freehold land The Bill make- no material alteration in the process of transforming customary into freehold land On the application of thp Native Minister or ot anj Nativo owner, the Native Land Court ■ investigates the title and makes a freehold I order, which has, the same effe/i, as a Crown 'grant in vesting a legal estate in fee simple in the Native owners as tenants in common, and «o extinguishing the Native Tho land becomes at tho same time subject to tho Land Transfer \ct, 1908 The power of \lao-i Land Boaids to ascertain the title to customary land is tiken away, Methods of Alienation. Tho alienation of Native land may be effected in four different way —(1) Private alienation Ky the owneis them-elves (2; Alienation by a, Maori Land Boaid as the stalutorv trustee or agent of the owners (3) Alienation by the committee of management of the incorporated owners (4) Alienation in pursuance of a resolution ot a majdntv of the owners assembled in a meeting called for that purpose by a board Tiio first method of private alienation is prohibited in cases where tho land is owned by more than ten owners in common, unless the board of the district thinks <it, in special oase6, to permit such A*i private alienation requires confirmation b> the Maori Land Board in tho North Island, 01 by the Native Land Court in the South Is'and Con firmation. muifc bo refused unless tho board or court is satisfied that 116 Nativo will, by reason of the alienation, be left without suf» ficient land for his support Confirmation is conclusive tl\at all leqiuroments as to alien ation have be«n dulv fulfilled In the ease of leases, special provisions are made fol securing to the tenant 66rftpen$atic-n for hi* improvements Mortßaffee are not permitted (except in favour of the Public Trustee or the Government) unless approved of by the (>ov ernor m-CouncU

Th< second method-of alienation 16 effeoted by \a Mron Land Board either as of the land or as the agont of the Native owners Regarding lands vested in boards by Order ui Council in Jiirsuanoo of tho reoommendations of Native Land Commission, no material alterations have boSn made Such land is to be disposed of by,publi,c auction or tender by way of lease and ealo in equal proportions The owners of any Native land may, by a rosolntiori of the neoessary majority, vest thai f laod in a board to be disposed of by way of tense or sale ,under this part of the Bill. Regarding land restrvecj for Natne docupaticn m pursuance of the reports of the Native Land Commission, this land is not vested in the board,' but is' administered by the board as the agent of the owners It may bo leased by the,board,.to Nahvos onl>, and is inalienable by tho owners tbein«elv«s Nα tiye owners may, by resolution, bring other land under this part of tho Bill The third mode of t -alienation is that effected by elective committees of management of the Native owners incorporated bj order of the Native Land Court in substantial ac cordanco ivith the existing practice. Tho fourth mode of alienation is in pnrsu ance of a resolution of the assembled owners A Maori Land Board inay summon a meeting of the owners of any Native land to consider proposals for its alienation A resolution proposed at any such meeting is carried if the owners voting for it own a larger area of the land affected than those who vote against it Any such resolution must be submitted to the board for confirnntion, and if confirmed will bo earned into effect either by Order-m-Council, instrument of alienation executed t tho board On behalf of/Hie owners, or by "hicl other means as is appropriate to the nature of the reeo'ntion Any such meeting of assembled own era may ( in this manner do any ot the following things —(1) Vest the land in the boird for sale or for lease (2) Agree to incorporation by the Native Land Court (3) Carrj into effect* any proposed alienation—* g, a sale or lease to a particular individual (4) Sell the land to the Crown /

'■■ : :., •-.'.' SuMesiloh.tq;Native 'Land.-' ■ ■' •', •■[ r The -Bill makes ::the following provisions: with ftvrespect;• \, to';!; Succession:' Ho -.- ■:deceased:Natives,:Vr{l) 'The-.right to succeed ■ to' personal; property v'qr-.':tb!vEuropean l&rid'.owned' by ,, a , Natiyey is..governedijjy-.tlje'/same rules', as in', the a: European,; [except tfiat'th'e l wife; o.f the .deceased 'is'-'entitled-'inerely. to, such/ in-; .terest,as,, the Native] Land Court, thinis necesv sary ".for-, maintenance arid, support. ■■. ". (2) The "itpi ;, Native freehold : laij'd owned byj.ft.Native.;-^'determined: by NatlT* c.us»m;/..;'(3):<A' , ''Natiye, has : "the of. 'disusing •;"&,' hisVproperty■ as X- oEiiropeas MSiisjv'S; .tftit'i io Native; land■■• can • be; left; by tb.e.iwill V. a.-. "'ownersto. ; ,a- European, ; btjier:,than \of .the;testator, .or^.^u^opea^^wno '.would'liaye -been entitled , had -the, deceased. , die'd intestate, 'oi a relative 'fourth degree. . inade; : by, 'a' Native be--60jf1.e5.,-,-ctTlll■■■iand void -unless .application ".for probate 'is.-madja- r iny.,the :. Native. Land, ..'Cojirt .witTiih "two. .years -'after ''the 'death of .'.the. .testator.' ,; Thi|;.is the .present, law... (5) ; l|-a .testator enfficient provisipn'for the '.mainteii'ance'.-.pf.ihiß- widow,-;..children, -or orphan , gTandbMldreii,:.the : .Native.Land'.Cotujt may..appoint tq'.-.those persons.a sufficient'share pf; tho exclusive ''jiirisaiefipn'. '• to .grant.- pr.obate'. and letters, of "'administration in ■ respect ■ of; the estate of;,a.'deoj^ieed'.-Native,;■■whether the.pro"perty;■ consists bf '"Native" or-.personalty.i -fi'f!l) ■;Native freehold- land;,does' not, vest^iuviihei.executor, ip'rv adniinistra f ir : 6f directly'■;'to the:successorsV:undei, tibi wfll'br intestacy.'of the-'deceiiaedf-i'fg). ,The,,title v of .'the,, snocessbre "bf;a deceasediNatiTOv to; the..Native ■freehojd land- left' byohim \ is ■.determined:.by;:the-.Na-.tiye Land '.Court,,-. which.;.issues, : Enccession ''■■ orders :..in;. ; favduj;'of'.the~ : perso'ns : found : tp.ibe 'entitled. : ,' -These 'orders ate '.co'nolu-: sive'pfoof■ ■of.v:the';:r^ht;bf.■ succession.-.-ana-'no alienation ~-bya'.a ;6nccesspr .. can be registered until a succession..order/in' his ..favour:.has been made ■.'.and; ■■registered. -■-. The' successiPn order, howeij itself :tte title of .the buccessor J "..':b'tit'i' merely. evidence of - a: title obtained ' immediately- on "the .'death .of .the; deceased. ■ ■■'; (8)-'-Personalty,- ,ahd^European'. land .left .>jr'<; a .'deceased' Native... is ■ liable, for .his debts:inVthe^'sajne as if;;he 'wasU 'Eurbpeani", 'Watiye''- lai'd, oil the, pth'er'-'hahd, is exempt 'ifom ~aiiy'|uchi;liability.-(lo),'Native land is eibiJipt'-^rbm'■;the daty'.iTnpostjd'iby/tlie Death■,DutieS--''Act; : ;iS!Bj;. since .'that ."lano^'■: does iibt'»vest•;in , - the. adiiii4stra.wr .by,: Whom :;tiie ;dutv-'is paja>le,''tln , lioW of that duty, .H'ia proyide'dA/bykthe i.Bjll that .every succession order , made''Dy l ,'the.rN' l tiyo kand Courtt'shall, exceptan-th'b, case.'ofi'small .estates, ; be subject 'to','mtive'Buiicessipn.,'.duty,,at.!the rate of per v'oentTim: : 'of ~'the,f,valne* of the land' so-'.ac-■quM-by;.thb"successpr. • ■ v... , .

/ Maori Marnags Law All marriages between Natives are reqmred to be celebrated either (1) in the eame man ner v> a marnago between Knrope-*s, or (2) in the presenre of an officia.fcroi; minister un der the. Marriage Act, bp< wilho-t the othor conditions and formalities required by ihat Aof- * - v. Maori Adoption* Adoption by custom is abolished, and adaption by order of the Native Land Court 15 substituted Any such order of adoption has the same effect as adopti6n--by a European under tho Infants Act, 1008 The jurisdiction of magistrates over Native adoptions is taken awav, and tho adoption of a European child by a Native is prohibited ('■■■•' S^' ; ~/£.. ■ ;.■ ;w ; '/■'Tho Bill' ijloes' npf'ftffeci'the: 'admiiustration of ;, :th«.following-: classes /'of: Native■ • land 1) •Native reserves, vested in;.the". Public Trustee:; underthe, -NatiTe' R&ervesi A0t,'4882;.. the ;West' ,&ast' : Settle(nent.'Jlit«ierves;: ; Act, ; 'or'.'(he W.estland NeJson;.Nii.tlye;;';PeserveS;:'4ct, 1887, '.Vt2) 'Ijand' v sub3ept'. : .,lio;v; the:: Coast, ■■Ni^''-l!ro'st.;liiiflaiJjtct;;jß^. v '-/3).--;Jiend~stili, 'jec't to 'the-. Act,- • 1995.■;--(4)■■■Naiiye.'i.triiiinshipii-.Under.•;the Native , ■Townships the'NatiVe ;dnd 'Mio'n liind 'Ijo*i-{Ji fenUmmit.''Afct. :1992-V-'-(5) -liaßd