WEST COAST SETTLEMENT BILL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 199, 21 August 1880, Page 4

WEST COAST SETTLEMENT BILL.

The following are the details of this Bill, the debate upon which has occupied the House for the last two nights: It empowers the Governor to made a final settlement of any claim or grievance arising out of any award or engagement maie on behalf of the Government of the colony in reapect of land situate within the confiscated Jands. The Governor in Council may

set apart reserves for natives, and make them inalienable by sale or otherwise, and issue Crown Grants for the same, subject to such limitations as he may think fir. He may aleo set apart alienable reserves to be disposed of under an Act of the General Assembly to be passed for regulating such disposal, and not otherwise. The Taranaki and Wellington Land Districts are altered, and all (he confiscated territory south of Sloney River is constituted a separate l»nd district under the name of the West Coast Land District. All lands in (bis district not already set apart us reeerves, granted, or sold, are to be considered Crown Landß. There is to be no, land board for this land district, but all the powers, funGiioDP, and duties vested io a land board under tbe Land Act of 1877 and tbe Amending Act of 1879, are to be vested io the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the said district, to exercise subject to the approval and direction of the Minister of Lauds. Offences against the Act are punishable by two years 1 imprisonment with hard labor, and are specified as follows: — ObBtructing; any person authorised to do anything under the Act ; removing or destroying any. building, bridge, fence, or other erection, thus endangering the public peace; diggiug, ploughing;, or disturbing land, so as to impede its lawful occupation ; damaging or, obsfiuctin'g anyroad gazetted as a highway ; assembling armed or unarmed for any of the above purposes,, or aiding, abetting, or countenancing such acts. Offenders may be arrested without warrant, and natives now in custody, or subsequently arrested under this Aof, Bre to be detained under ihe Maori Prisoners Act.