LANDS COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE). (Mr. E. NEWMAN, Chairman.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1922 Session I, I-05

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1922. NEW ZEALAND.

LANDS COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE). (Mr. E. NEWMAN, Chairman.)

Presented to the House of Representatives, and ordered, to be printed.

ORDER OF REFERENCE. Extract from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Friday, the 14tii Day of July, 1922. Ordered, " That Standing Order No. 219 be suspended, and that a Select Committee be appointed, consisting of twelve members, to whom shall stand referred, after the first reading, all Bills affecting or in any way relating to the lands of the Crown, or education or other public reserves; the Committee to have power to make such amendments therein as they may think proper, and to report generally when necessary upon the principles and provisions of the Bill ; the Committee to have power to call for persons, papers, and records ; three to be a quorum : the Committee to consist of Mr. Bitchener, Mr. Forbes, Mr. Glenn, Mr. J. R. Hamilton, Mr. Hockly, Mr. Jones, Mr. E. Newman, Mr. T. W. Rhodes, Mr. Savage, Mr. 11. W. Smith, Mr. Witty, and the mover."—(Hon. Mr. Guthrie.)

INDEX.

No. Petitions, &c. Page, j 311 Anderson, F. W., and 3 others .. 3 Auckland City and Auckland Hospital 2 Board Empowering Bill Bay of Islands Harbour Amendment Bill 3 Christchurch Municipal Offices Leasing 2 Bill 139 Pittmer, J. F., and 13 others.. .. 3 Final report .. .. .. 4 350 Fuller, Walter .. .. .. 4 Hamilton Domains Amendment Bill .. 3 Hauraki Plains Amendment Bill .. 2 Hutt River Board Improvement and 3 Reclamation Bill « Invercargill Corporation Empowering Bill 3 Land Drainage Amendment Bill .. 2 Land Laws Amendment Bill .. .. 3 181 Moriarty, Timothy .. .. .. 2

No. Petitions, &c. Page. Palmerston North Reserves Amendment 3 Bill Reserves and other Lands Disposal and 4 Public Bodies Empowering Bill Amendments to above .. .. 4 Further amendments to above .. 4 Further amendments to above .. 4 Further amendments to above .. 4 Rotorua Borough Bill .. .. 2 Special report (re Chairman) .. .. 4 152 Steel, John, and 10 others .. .. 2 Swamp Drainage Amendment Bill .. 2 165 Thompson, A. W., and 4 others .. 3 Tongariro National Park Bill.. .. 4 Wellington City Empowering and Amend- 3 ment Bill Whangarei Borough Leasing Empowering 3 Bill 57 Whiteside, A. J., and 30 others .. 2 i

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KEPOETS. Swamp Drainage Amendment Bill. The Lands Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that it has carefully considered same, and recommends that the Bill be allowed to proceed without amendment. 2nd August, 1922.

Land Drainage Amendment Bill. The Lands Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that it has carefully considered same, and recommends that the Bill be allowed to proceed without amendment. 2nd August, 1922.

f Rotorua Borough Bill. The Lands Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that it has carefully considered, same, and recommends that the Bill be allowed to proceed without amendment, with the exception of clause 11, which in the opinion of the Committee should be referred to the Native Affairs Committee. 2nd August, 1922.

Christchurch Municipal Offices Leasing Bill. The Lands Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that the said Bill has been carefully considered, and the Committee recommends that it be allowed to proceed as amended by the Local Bills Committee. 9th August, 1922.'

No. 181.—Petition of Timothy Moriarty, of Stillwater. Praying for redress for loss incurred in connection with title to certain land at Stillwater. I have the honour to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for consideration. 9th August, 1922.

Auckland City and Auckland Hospital Board Empowering Bill. The Lands Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that the said Bill has been carefully considered, and the Committee recommends that it be allowed to proceed, with amendment as shown on the copy of the Bill attached hereto. Bth September, 1922.

No. 57. —Petition of A. J. Whiteside and 30 Others, of Thames. Praying that valuations in connection with the acquiring of freehold of lands in Hauraki Plains district be placed on a different basis. T am directed to report that, as a question of policy is involved, the Committee has no recommendation to make, but desires to draw the attention of the Government to the desirability of amending the regulation which restricts the period which must elapse before a fresh application for valuation can be made. Bth September, 1922.

No. 152. —Petition of John Steel and 10 Others, Praying for legislation to enable the acquisition of freehold of national-endowment lands in Rotorua and Tauranga Counties. I am directed to report that, as a question of policy is involved, the Committee lias no recommendation to make, but the Committee desires to record its sympathy with the prayer of the petitioners, to whom the option of the freehold is of vital importance. Bth September, 1922.

Hauraki Plains Amendment Bill. The Lands Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has carefully considered the same, and lam directed to report the said Bill without amendment. In the opinion of the Committee the Bill should be referred to the Local Bills Committee. Bth September, 1922.

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No. 139. —Petition of J. F. Dittmer and 13 Others ; and No. 165, Petition of A. W. Thompson and 4 Others. Praying that they may be enabled to acquire the freehold of their sections, which are now held under lease from the Wanganui River Trust. I am directed to report that, as a question of policy is involved, the Committee has no recommendation to make with regard to these petitions, but desires to express its entire sympathy with the prayer of the petitioners. 20th September, 1922.

Invercargtll Corporation Empowering Bill. The Lands Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that the said Bill has been carefully considered, and the Committee recommends that it be allowed to proceed, with amendment as shown on the copy of the Bill attached hereto. 20th September, 1922. •

Wellington City Empowering and Amendment Bill. The Lands Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that the said Bill has been carefully considered, and the Committee recommends that it be allowed to proceed, with amendments as shown on copy of the Bill attached hereto. 20th September, 1922.

No. 311. —Petition of F. W. Anderson and 3 Others, of Okoroire. Praying for relief in connection with certain sections held by them in Mamaku Bush. I have the honour to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for consideration. 28th September, 1922.

Land Laws Amendment Bill. The Lands Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that the said Bill has been carefully considered, and the Committee recommends that it be allowed to proceed without amendment. 28th September, 1922.

Hamilton Domains Amendment Bill. The Lands Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that the said Bill has been carefully considered, and the Committee recommends that it be allowed to proceed with amendments as shown on copy of Bill attached hereto. 4th October, 1922.

Hutt River Board Improvement and Reclamation Bill. The Lands Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that the said Bill lias been carefully considered, and the Committee recommends that it be allowed to proceed as amended by the Local Bills Committee. 4th October, 1922.

Palmerston North Reserves Amendment Bill. The Lands Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that the said Bill has been carefully considered, and the Committee recommends that it be allowed to proceed as amended by the Local Bills Committee. 4th October, 1922.

Bay of Islands Harbour Amendment Bill. The Lands Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that the said Bill has been carefully considered, and the Committee recommends that it be allowed to proceed as amended by the Local Bills Committee. 11th October, 1922.

Whangarei Borough Leasing Empowering Bill. The Lands Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that the said Bill has been carefully considered, and the Committee recommends that it be allowed to proceed as amended by the Local Bills Committee. 11th October, 1922.

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Tonoariro National Park Bill. The Lands Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that the said Bill has been carefully considered, and the Committee recommends that it be allowed to proceed, with amendment as shown on copy of the Bill attached hereto. 13th October, 1922.

Reserves and other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Bill. The Lands Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that the said Bill has been carefully considered, and the Committee recommends that it be allowed to proceed without amendment. 19th October, 1922.

Reserves and other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Bill (Amendments proposed by His Excellency the Governor-General). I have the honour to report that the Lands Committee has carefully considered the above-mentioned proposed amendments, and recommends that they be allowed to proceed. 25th October, 1922.

Reserves and other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Bill (Further Amendments proposed by His Excellency the Governor-General). a I have the honour to report that the Lands Committee has carefully considered the above-mentioned proposed amendments, and recommends that they be allowed to proceed. 26th October, 1922.

Reserves and other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Bill (Further Amendments proposed by His Excellency the Governor-General). I have the honour to report that the Lands Committee has carefully considered the above-mentioned proposed amendments, and recommends that they be allowed to proceed, with amendment as shown on copy of the amendments attached hereto. 28th October, 1922.

Reserves and other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Bill (Further Amendments proposed by His Excellency the Governor-General). I have the honour to report that the Lands Committee has carefully considered the above-mentioned proposed amendments, and recommends that they be allowed to proceed. 28th October, 1922.

No. 350.—Petition of Walter Fuller, of Kerikcri, Bay of Islands. Praying for compensation for land taken for the purpose of forming a roadway through his block at Kerikeri. I have the honour to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for consideration. 28th October, 1922.

Special Report. I havk the honour to report that at a meeting of the Lands Committee held this morning the Committee, in saying farewell to the Chairman, Mr. E. Newman, unanimously adopted the following resolution :— " That this Committee desires to place on record its high appreciation of the splendid services rendered to the country by Mr. E. Newman during the years that he has been a member of the House ; that the Committee regrets that he will no longer occupy the position of Chairman of the Lands Committee, in which position he has displayed outstanding knowledge, ability, and courtesy." M. J. Savage, 28th October, 1922. Member of the Committee.

Final Report. I have the honour to report that the Lands Committee, consisting of twelve members, has held sixteen meetings during the session, the average attendance at each meeting being seven members. Eight petitions were referred to the Committee, and, of these, seven were considered and reported upon, and one is held over until next session. Eighteen Bills were referred to the Committee, and all. of these were considered and reported upon. 28th October, 1922.

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