"THE NATIVE LAND ADMINISTRATION ACT, 1886" (REPORTS BY COMMISSIONERS UNDER).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1887 Session II, G-08

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Sess. 11.—1887. NEW ZEALAND.

"THE NATIVE LAND ADMINISTRATION ACT, 1886" (REPORTS BY COMMISSIONERS UNDER).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 42 of " The Native Land Administration Act, 1886."

Sib, — Native Land Administration Office, Wellington, 7th April, 1887. I have the honour to report, in compliance with the provisions of "The Native Land Administration Act, 1886," that the chief business which has been transacted in this office has been in connection with applications under section 24. As the Act has been only recently put in operation, there are no accounts to furnish relating to the disposal of estates. It is but fair to anticipate that, when prejudice and opposition have been overcome, all reasonable concession being made, the operations under this Act will be extensive and advantageous to the Maori owners and the European purchasers and lessees. I have, &c, J. W. A. Maechant, The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. Commissioner.

Sic,— Crown Lands Office, Auckland, 12th July, 1887. I have the honour, in pursuance of section 42 of " The Native Lands Administration Act, 1886," to report, for your information, that, as yet, no dealings with land have taken place under the above-named Act. I have, &c, D. A. Tolb, Commissioner, " Native Land Administration Act, 1886." The Hon. the Minister of Native Affairs, Wellington.

Sic, — District Survey Office, Napier, 2nd July, 1887. In reply to your letter N.O. 87/1587, No. 745, of the 29th June, I have the honour to report that the only transactions which have taken place under the provisions of " The Native Land Administration Act, 1886," have been a number of applications under section 24 of the Act, particulars of which were forwarded in return-form to the Under-Secretary for Crown Lands at the beginning of last May. I may add that, upon it being represented to me a few weeks ago that certain owners of the Otarumia Block, near Te Aute, were desirous of dealing with their land, I placed myself in communication with them, with a view to enable them to give effect to their wishes, explaining the •procedure as laid down in the Act. When they found, however, that they could not carry out their intentions without proceeding under the Act they positively refused to take any further steps, and I gather that this opposition was based less on the ground of distrust in Government administration than upon a deep-rooted distrust of one another, and therefore of any Committee which might be elected. I have, &c, G. W. Williams, T. W. Lewis, Esq., Under-Secretary, Native Department. Commissioner.

Sic,— New Plymouth, 31st March, 1887. I have the honour to report that up to the present time there have been no transactions under "The Native Land Administration Act, 1886," in the Taranaki District. An informal application was made by a Native to lease a portion of section 29, Waitara West District; but on investigation it was found that he was acting for three out of the seven owners, and that those he represented were desirous of leasing a part and appropriating the rent. I advised them to apply to the Native Land Court for partition, which they accordingly did. I have been given to understand that some notifications have been made under section 24 of the Act to the Chief Judge, but corresponding notice has not been given to me. I have, &c, Thos. Humphries, The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. Commissioner.

Sic,— Native Land Court, Waikouaiti, 30th March, 1887. In pursuance with the directions contained in clause 42 of "The Native Land Administration Act, 1886," I beg to state, for your information, that there is no land at present within the •definition of " disposable land " in my district.

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The titles to all the lands in the South Island that come within the purview of the Act being now in a transition state has precluded the possibility of dealing with them as provided. Matters are in much the same position at the Chathams. Numerous transactions exist in regard to most of the blocks by way of conveyance and lease; and nothing satisfactory can be done in respect of the remainder until the several interests have been determined, and fresh titles issued for the lands now under process of subdivision by the Native Land Court. The Act will be the means of putting a stop in the future to an objectionable state of proceedings that prevails in respect of the Kaiapoi Eeserve sections. According to a condition contained in the grants the grantees are prohibited from mortgaging their sections; but they evade this to a certain extent by entering into an arrangement with their lessees, at the commencement of a lease, which practically anticipates their rents for several years in advance, thereby depriving themselves of the full annual value. It is possible the practice exists elsewhere, but it has become a recognised one at Kaiapoi between the Natives and their tenants on every fresh transaction being entered into, and operates detrimentally in the interests of the former, as they are considerable losers by this course of procedure. I have, &c, The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. ' A. Mackay. [Approximate Cost of Paper— -Preparation, nil; printing (1,275 copies), £1 Os. 6a..]

Authority: Geobge Didsbuey, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB7