REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON NATIVE LANDS ACT.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1844, 31 August 1874, Page 3

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON NATIVE LANDS ACT.

rHMeport of the Select Committee on g native affairs re Native Lauds Act, 1873, c is to tUo following effect :r-(l) That the n measure is far toopatornal incharacter and a iffects a great number of native children ii iestituto of ordinary intelligence. (2) It t imposes.; such stringent conditions as; to i notices and other points of administration' t js renders, it almost impossible for any j native to. comply with its provisions! (3) c [t largely increases tho time and expense li )f survey and .investigation. :> (<J) That, it i; iririsa number of irresponsible officials c with such large powers, that at -any stage i i claim under investigation may be stopped j m the most insufficient, grounds., (5) I That leases' and sales to' private persons f jre by provisions of the Act rendered very i HlHcult to be completed. (6) That the s system in force under the repealed Acts, i with' some necessary amendments; and < alterations, would be more likely to prove i acceptable to petitioners and cause satis- ] Faction among. them. (7) It compels | j udges'to make a preliminary investigation, i which in most case's would likely be of an sb jjai'fc'charao'ter,and-it orders surveys i to be maJe under such circumstances as i will lead applicants and counter-claimants : to imagine their claims ignorod. Tho sommittee is therefore of- opinion that -in section 15 effect should bo given to the request of the petitioners by reinstating assessors in the position occupied by, them ander the repealed Acts provision to be made when differences of opinion occur. Section 35: In reference to the objection taken by petitioners so seotion>3s, ■ the jommitteo find that this is the identical jbjectionvtakon: by. the, Judges of the iNative LaMs'Oburt in their report, The machinery, required under. the. .Act for jervice of notices appears -to be' exceedingly, cumbrous and expensive,', and ,it, would be desirabjo aiid t advisableuto fall back upon the practice existing under ;ho-repealed- Acts. Section -38,:. The jommittee are of opinion that so ;ko Act as requires preliminary investigaiion to be mudo by judges beforo •survey : )r hearing claimants in open Court, should jo'repealed, and the committee make this ■ecouimendation on the grouuds set forth n the 4 petition and,memorandum of the fudges of tho Native Lands Court relaive to tho Act. Section 4-1: The .committee recommends that claimants aud iounler-claimants should be allowed same orivileges : ih' appointing spokesman to jonduct any caso on their behalf. . Section H.: In reference to the objection to section 71, the ■ committee recommend ■oturiiing to tho practice existing under the old Acts, whereby a native- was required lo be at the expense of-ono map jnly. The Government should-prepare copies of the map asmay be required for records. \ Section 78:; Effect should' bo' riyon to tlie request'of tliopetitioudrs' to 1 the extent of shortening the time in which i re-heariug may be applied for from six months to three mouths. J'he committee would also cull attention to the powers whiph, by section. 58,'- m girea tp. th»

Governor-in-Council, of ordering a rehearing at any time, without, regard to transactions affecting the land which may have taken place subsequent to the issue of,the Crown grant. Section 10ii:. That the law in respect of lulling lands for roads and railways should'be made the same in the case of the Maoris as of Europeans.— Eerald. •