NATIVE LAND BILL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 689, 14 December 1909, Page 5

NATIVE LAND BILL.

'.AMENDMENTS BY THE' SELECT' COM- ..-■;. ■■.■■.;;■";. .■•■■■mittee.:".'-;.'."'",-'.: ;■■.>,■ : Tho: Native Land Bill was-received from the Native '-Affairs ' Committeo' by' the ■' House yesterday afternoon. About'loo amendments (including new! clauses) have been'made to the .measure.-. . ■■'•. •'■"■ - ; ; . •■■'•■. ■' y ■ . ■ • : Clause 24,n0w the Court .'jurisdiction to.decide in any proceeding whether a person is a Native or European.. : . -. '.: .. .'.'. ■■] ;Anamendmont ismade to Clause 65 to provide that" tho Governor' may 'exempt' any person holding office as president of a board at ■thotime of the passing, of: the. Act from the requirement of the PubEo Service Classification Superannuation Act;"" '-■ ■• --. • .1 : Section' 131,. dealing with the consolidation of the interests 'of-.Native' owners, is amended to rcqmro that the Court" shall'make 'airits inquiries before'the confirmation of tho scheme of. consolidation by tho Govornor-ui-Councii. Suliseq'ueht orders will be made'as a matter of course, without sitting in open. Court, and no appeal will bo from such ; orders.' -' It is provided, in Clause U2 that' Native froohoM land, shall not be available fer payment Of debts:pf a/deceased Native.- -An amendment made provides that where a testator expressly charges his.Nativo had in his'\Vill 'with payment of a debt, that that charge shall be offeotiye. '. '■' • •■■■ '-. ..■: '■ ':■ ■ ■ -:'■ - ■■ ■:. ■- , Section 176, which imposes: Native snecftssion duties, is amended. to conform to tho Death' Duties Act, so as to prevont-repetition' -'■ A new'' clause,-No., ISO A, provides Oiat the trustees „■ for '..a , ,-, Native undei-.. disability,' mav borrow money on tho security of land or trust property with the leave of, the.Native, Land Clause 192, which deals wilii limitation' of area,iß amended so- as to mako , it clear that apowpn may acquire iby:.leaso,,an nsidivided sliaro in nny •"'.(■'■'."■. ;■ . : . . v There is an amendment.to'Claiiee'ais'«o'-ae ; to : give to the'-Snpreme;;Court the power : to issr'e : . 9. .fiiuidamus bo«td or Court ■ refusal

confirmation of any alienation on \tiio> ground v that the alienation 15 contrary to equity or good ; ; faith or to the interests of tho : Native*'' .alienating.'. '■ : v. , .... ".'■"■':• .'..';,.:.'.:•;: /'..Clause- 237 is amended by: reinstating ■ii eub- ; - section to an amendment of thoNativo'iLand-'' Settlement Act made last year. Tlio noi' suby:clause provides that in dealing with. J areas/:' vested m Maori Land ■; Boards -, for ■ general '■< settlement in accordance with .the report of the '■<■■ Nativo Land Commission, the! proportion bov< 'tween selling orloasing in any oneareaiibf a'' half- shall, bo, maintained, .. ' ... .f. ;.:; ; .i An important amendment vrasmado to 1 : Sec-' tion 272 eo: that tho;,Minister. for ■Finanbβ;:il^ -; ompowcl•cd : to advnncoto nny ono board hi any':. , ono year n-sum.'not exceeding .£50,000,-tJio ; .BVitu-' originally proposed being J830,0M.\' ■' , ;■', "'.•■ v* 1 In-order to explain an amendment in Section • 295, one should 'know that land rocominojided i;< for Nativo settlement is: restricted from gp'iicral alienation. The amendment provides that-'Buoli' land may bo taken out of: tMt restriction':by.' ; - resolution of; the assembled'■ owners.-- :k\-:>:-:i ' Tho. clauses relating■ fe iho > incorporaHo;a o£ ; ; owners have been considerably amended. ;;One' ! of. the cow clauses, 315 A; permits of the gipiip: 'i mg of several blocks so: long as : they:! form a J continuous area, , , and: provides 1 that' they ' ; taay" m, . mcl .'J? e(l in- ono. : order ~of ';viricormrai!fon.f Inis will obviato the necessityithat. has 1 Often' .arisen for cancellation, .of"petitipn on i the ground that such petition did not facilitiie"' settlemoftt of .the land. By-grouping under one commission with ample, powers^of. , - alienation,.settlement will.be furthered.-.. , : - ■ A -new., clause, 333 A, enables-a.:body; mc<»i; pprated with the consent I of the Governor-in.-" Uuncil to borrow money from tho State lend-'" ittg 4cpartmeuts for farming land, discharging:, debts and encumbrances, and-improving land. ■■■■■■'< An amondmont t0... Clause:. 340.',affociav; : lands/-that:- have been , vested. ■in : ther' Maori Land . Boards, hitherto purpose,, pi leasing "only. Many large 'blocts''' were brought under:the:boards by virtue of :the; Maori Land Settlement Act, 1905. The' board 5 nas no power to "sell such lands. -The: present," amendment provides, that by resolution of'the-/ assembled owners:the. , board may be to sell the whole or any part of such land. '■'': The part of tlie Bill dealing-with Jsativo lands by the: Cro>vn has' not'suffered: much alteration, but now Clause 362 A prbvidce? that, wnero land: is owned - by mdro than 'ten-i owners,.tho.Crown, instead of buying,from,the:: individual, owners/ will; have- to go , toi tho'as-l! scmbled owners.: ;' ■';V '.'' ' ,'','. :;:." ,! :.,'-::- ! .; . By : now Clause ,413 A all statutory, declarations.' required or authorised : by tho Bill.-.■are'-ox-:,: emiitcd from stamn duty. ■:■''■'.. ."■■":"■:.'■<■';s■ Un'der,ncw ClaußO , 4lsA all rules'and regnla--| tions made under tho Bill shall be laid-before': I'arliamout within a. certain ' time; and bo:.re-v, f erred to tho'Native 1 Affairs'Committee'of each-* ■House. :■' •'■ : -" : -■■.■'■■' -v ; ;.-' -. . : .■; ■'-. v , . , ■;■':•'.■•:;?<•;■,■',- Clauso 41GA vepeals. the Laud' Titles ;I>roteci V r-ion Act,.. 1908; \hut .saves■ the ■'. protection 'uf-Ji forded by.'-, that' Act to . orders 1 - of,, tho - Nati>-«'-L'aiid Court, Crown grants;'and other instrn- 4 .-' ments of title. , ■'■■ ;.: . j ■-■...■,•;... ■-■α-yi ! Under.Clause 123 A, Mangatu (No; 1)',■ ißM,>i«-,> included an: the'list of enactments not included? in tho now- measure.- /■, .■'•-- '',:■,:.-•',.';;:,■: Section. that.thovAotsnall v not':-i nflect tho jurisdiction of tho Supreme "Court, or*.-' Court; of; Appeal under the DeclaratorjO-Judg-VS inents 'Act.--.-. -.. -; ; ■:".-■ '•..'::; ',:■■■.;:" \.. | .: : :-:'.';:.;-s : \,- :. ; * Tho Acts relating- to the.''Urewera'<: liavb- been; taken ..out of tlio sclicdulo v of:.;re-S pealed Acts. ;■ ■■'.: -rr-U;-: '-.:.* >:r-/-'-. : J(..:'..y,^i : '^ It is Tindorstood:tbat certain amendments'te> this /Act' wero, approved by the commission , ,'! and will bo incorporated in: a Bill, of the.-Nativev:Minister .gave -notice . in•■:■ the' i irouse.yesterday afternoon.'.'...: , .':;..-- :'; '~: :' ,-: : '1:-l: . ';•- : -....- .■■:,•.■■-,• • : ;}: : ;. : : : : Z; : i:M