NATIVE LAND LEGISLATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 124, 12 October 1912, Page 4

NATIVE LAND LEGISLATION.

A NUMBER OF REFORMS,

By Telegraph—Own Correspondent. Wellington, Last Night. "Governor may declare a native t» be a European" is the side-heading xM clause 14 of the Native Land Amendment Bill, circulated this evening. The clause provides that the Governor (which is the Government in such a case) may, by Order-in-Council, on the recommendation of the Court, declare any native to be a European. Such recommendationcan only be made on the application of the native, and any such application may be opposed by the Native Minister or any person interested. No such recommendation is to be made unless the Court is satisfied that the native applying is ac quainted with the English language, and has educational qualifications up to the level of the Fourth Standard, and that he has sufficient land for his maintenance,, or is able to earn a livelihood. No such Order-in-Council will operate retrospectively, but the effect of the Order-in-Council will be to give the Maori, whois under the Statute converted into a European greater freedom than he at present enjoys for the disposition of his lands. The remaining clauses of the Bill: are of a machinery nature, and include a provision confining the method of purchase of native land by Europeans to those provisions under the principal Act Which deal with meetings of assembled owners; all land which the Maori Land Board is authorised to sell is to be sold by the Board, by public auction, * and all land is to be sold to the highest bidder. Every purchaser will be re- , quired to make a statutory declaration that he is acquiring the land solely for his own use and benefit, and not directly or indirectly for the use or benefit of any other person. No allotment is to be offered for sale unless it has accesa to a public highway, and the necessary power is given to the Board to lay off such road lines as are required. The purchase money or other revenue received by the Board from the disposal of such land is to be applied to defraying the costs incurred by the Board, the discharge of encumbrances, and, finally, in paying the residue to the owners' or other persons having any other interest in the land. Part 12 of the Act of 100» provided a limitation of area of native freehold land that could be held by any person. A clause in the present Bill provides that nothing in that part of the Act shall prevent or be deemed to have prevented the assignment or sub-letting of a leasehold estate in native land (Whatever the area thereof), created before the commencement of that Act, to any person who does not already at the time, when he acquires an interest in that land hold any other land exceeding 9000 acres of land. Another clause provides that where native land is acquired in violation of the limitation of area sections of the principal act, the Supreme Court may, in action by the AttorneyGeneral, declare that the interest is forfeited to the Crown, and the land will thereupon vest in the Crown.