179

G.—l

by the report of any Commissioner under the said Act (1) that any such lease was made bond fide, and granted by the persons since shown to be entitled to the land described in the lease, or that subsequent to the issue of a Crown grant for such land the said persons have confirmed such lease; (2) that the terms of such lease were fair and equitable to the Natives at the time when the lease was granted ; (3) that the rents and conditions have been duly paid and performed: may confirm such lease for the term in which it has been made, notwithstanding anything contained in section 11 -of this Act. The power of confirmation hereby granted shall not extend to any lease which may have been granted since the passing of ' The Confiscated Lands Inquiry and Maori Prisoners' Trials Act, 1879.' " That is all Ave had to inquire into?—l am not making any complaint with regard to the Commissioners, but I complain of the law that was passed which robbed us. 2305. Yes, but it is a complaint of the Natives being left landless. If the persons whom you consider are landless will send in a statement to me through you, I shall endeavour at any rate to provide them with land sufficient. But before doing so I must refer the matter to Sir William Fox in order to get his confirmation of the promise the Natives state he made to them ? —Supposing Sir William Fox conceals the truth, what then ? Mr. Mackay : I do not think Sir William Fox would conceal the truth. 2306. Mr. Carroll.] After the Commissioners came to Wellington, word went up to the Natives that it was the expressed intention of the Commissioners to recommend that 50 acres should be set apart for each individual Native as occupatory land. Then they saw afterwards that no 50 acres had been given them by Sir William Fox ?—Yes. I think all these lands should be administered by Maori Committees, in order to save all this confusion that at present exists, and so as to avoid the necessity of petitioning Parliament, and so that no troubles would arise for the future.