G.—l.

MINUTES OF PKOCEEDINGS.

Gisborne, 2nd March, 1891. The Commissioners (Messrs. William Lee Rees, M.H.R., James Carroll, M.H.R., and Thoma9 Mackay) met at 2.30 p.m. in the Native Land Court room, and adjourned till 4.30 p.m., when the Commission was read. Mr. Rees was appointed Chairman of the Commission, and the order in which the various leading centres of population in the North Island would be visited was settled. The Commission adjourned at 5.30 p.m.

Gisborne, 4th March, 1891. The Commission sat in the Public Hall at 2.30 p.m. Present: Messrs. W. L. Rees, M.H.R. (Chairman), and Thomas Mackay. It was decided to instruct John Brooking, Registrar of the Native Land Court at Gisborne, to furnish the Commissioners with a return showing the lands adjudicated upon in the Poverty Bay district by the Native Land Court, the survey districts, the subdivisions (if any), to what extent completed, the time occupied in the sittings of the Court, how long the Judges presided over each case, and the names of the tribes and hapus ascertained as owners ; similar returns to be obtained from the Registrars of the other Native land districts in the colony. The Commission adjourned at 3.30 p.m.

Gisborne, sth March, 1891. The Commission sat in the Public Hall at 10 a.m. Present: Messrs. W. L. Rees, M.H.R. (Chairman), and Thomas Mackay. An adjournment was made till 2.30 p.m., when all the Commissioners were present. The Commission adjourned at 3 p.m.

Gisborne, 6th March, 1891. The Commission sat in the Public Hall at 10 a.m. Present: Messrs W. L. Rees, M.H.R. (Chairman), J. Carroll, M.H.R., and Thomas Mackay. Edward Francis Harris, licensed interpreter ; Frank Westbrook Skeet, barrister and solicitor ;. Wi Pere; and Cecil Albert de Lautour, barrister and solicitor, were examined on oath. The Commission adjourned at 4.30 p.m.

Gisborne, 7th March, 1891. The Commission sat in the Public Hall at 10 a.m. Present: Messrs. W. L. Rees, M.H.R. (Chairman), J. Carroll, M.H.R., and Thomas Mackay. Lieut.-Colonel Thomas William Porter, Native agent and interpreter; John Brooking, Registrar of the Native Land Court; and Raniera Turoa were examined on oath; and Wi Pere was further examined with special reference to the Mangatu No. 1 Block. The Commission adjourned at 1 o'clock p.m.

Auckland, 10th March, 1891. The Commission sat at 3 p.m. in the Customhouse building. Present: Messrs. W. L. Rees, M.H.R. (Chairman), and Thomas Mackay. Paratene Ngata, Native Assessor, was examined on oath. The Commission adjourned at 5.5 p.m.

Auckland, 11th March, 1891. The Commission sat in the Customhouse building at 10.30 a.m. Present: Messrs. W. L. Rees, M.H.R. (Chairman), and Thomas Mackay. Hamiora Mangakahia, Native Assessor, and Laurence Marshall Grace, Native agent and interpreter, were examined on oath. The Commission adjourned at 1 p.m.

Auckland, 12th March, 1891. The Commission sat in the Customhouse building at 11 a.m. Present: Messrs. W. L. Rees, M.H.R. (Chairman), and Thomas Mackay. Edward Fawkner Tizard, settler, and Oliver Mason Creagh, land-surveyor, were examined on oath. The Commission adjourned at 1 p.m. vi—G. 1.

XXXIII