NATIVE LANDS AND NATIVE-LAND TENURE: SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT OF NATIVE LAND COMMISSION, ON NATIVE LANDS IN VARIOUS DISTRICTS.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1909 Session I, G-01f

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1909. NEW ZEALAND.

NATIVE LANDS AND NATIVE-LAND TENURE: SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT OF NATIVE LAND COMMISSION, ON NATIVE LANDS IN VARIOUS DISTRICTS.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Native Land Commission, Wellington, 21st December, 1908. To His Excellency the Governor. May it please Yoxje Excellency,— We have the honour to submit for your consideration a supplementary report on Native lands in various districts. This report is intended to deal with miscellaneous matters that have been brought before us at different places, and range over many districts. 1. Hobson County. At the request of the owner of Kaihu 2b No. 3 Block, we recommend that the same be sold by public auction. The land is siiitable for building-allotments. There is a mortgage on it of £460, payable on the Ist day of May, 1909. 2. Waimaeino County. With regard to Ngapakihi or Eaetihi No. 1, containing 2,480 acres, in our report on lands in the Wanganui district (G.-la, 1907, pages 19 and 20) we scheduled this block as being vested in the Aotea District Maori Land Board. It has since been found that the Board's title cannot be registered owing to some irregularity in the signatures. The Board has had offers erf .£25,000 for the timber on this block. It was generally considered that on the timber beingremoved the land should revert to the owners in subdivision for their use and occupation. We recommend that the land be brought under Part II of " The Native Land Settlement Act, 1907," and that the Board be authorised to dispose of the timber to the best advantage, while the land as cleared should revert to the Native owners for their use and. occupation. 3. Whanganui Disteict. Eeferring to our report G.-Ja, 1907, on lands in the Whanganui district, we desire to say that we see no reason to alter our recommendations in respect of the following blocks : Taumatamahoe, Whakaihuwaka, Maraekowhai, Whitianga, Ranana, Ngarakauwhakarara, Tawhitinui, and Waharangi 6 and 7. 4. Cook County. Te Kopuni Block, 495 acres 1 rood 19 perches, in the Uawa Survey District: We recommend the issue of an Order in Council under section 10 of " The Native Land Settlement Act, 1907," prohibiting private alienation in respect of this block.

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5. Waieoa County. Nnhaka 2b 2a, area 1,737 acres 1 rood 34 perches: We dealt with this in our report (G-.-l, 1907) on Nuhaka and other blocks, wherein we recommended the same to be leased to the highest bidder. Since that report the owners have again approached us and asked that the recommendation be amended, as they had arranged for it to be leased to three Natives named Tutekawa Wyllie, Bihara Wilson, and Wiremu Wilson. We therefore desire to amend our recommendation in the direction asked for, and now recommend that the land be brought under Part II of " The Native Land Settlement Act, 1907," and leased to the three Natives above named. In connection with lands in the Wairoa County recommended to be leased to Maoris, we have received many letters from tenants specified in our report (Gγ.-1, 1907) on Nuhaka and other blocks asking that other names be added as lessees, or tbat leases be transferred to other members of such tenants' families. We are of opinion that such details are within the jurisdiction and discretion of the Board. 6. Te Uakx Block. Counsel on behalf of a European in possession (a Mrs. Hargreaves) of this block brought before us the following facts : He stated the land was sold, and the purchase-money paid, and the conveyance duly executed. The conveyance has, however, been lost, and the conveyance was not registered. The land has, however, been continuously in the possession of the Hargreaves family for thirty years. The persons who are the successors to the original owners were asked to execute a fresh conveyance. This they have refused to do. The Native Land Court does not seem to us to have jurisdiction to deal with such a case. It is a case, however, in which, in our opinion, the Native Land Court is the proper tribunal to adjudicate between the parties. We recommend that the Native Land Court should be empowered to adjudicate on such cases. 7. Waipu 2a No. 2 and lc No. 1. The areas are 7 acres 2 roods 29 perches, and 18 acres 3 roods 36 perches respectively. We recommended these areas to be reserved for Maori occupation (see G-.-Ib, 1908, page 12). An exchange has now been proposed of these lands with lands belonging to a European. The terms of the exchange seem to us to be fair. We accordingly amend our recommendation by taking these two pieces of land out of the schedule above mentioned. We have the honour to be Tour Excellency's most obedient servants, BoBEBTcsStOUT, • • A. T. Ngata, J CommißMOnerB -

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