a.-v.

Sess. 11.—1891. NEW ZEALAND.

UNFINISHED REPORT BY THE LATE MR. THOMAS MACKAY RELATING TO NATIVE-LAND LAWS.

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

No. 1. Mr. Judge Mackay to the Under-Secretary, Native Department. (Memorandum.) Native Land Court Office, Wellington, 20th June, 1891. Re Native-land Laws Commission : Having noticed in the newspapers that Government intend to publish the late Mr. Thomas Mackay's report, and being familiar, to a certain extent, with the views he held on the question, I should be glad to be of assistance in piecing together the uufinished portion with a view to make the report as complete as possible. The Under-Secretary, Native Department, Wellington. A. Mackay.

No. 2. The Under-Secretary, Native Department, to Mr. Judge Mackay. Sir,— Native Office, Wellington, 22nd June, 1891. I am directed by the Hon. Native Minister to thank you for your kind offer to assist in placing the late Mr. Thomas Mackay's unfinished report in connection with the Native-land Laws Commission in such a shape that it can be printed and presented to Parliament. As your relationship and intimate intercourse witli Mr. Mackay, whose sudden death is deeply regretted by the Government, has made you better acquainted with the papers he has left on the subject than any one else, Mr. Caclman will be much obliged if you will kindly undertake the work you propose. I am, &c, Alex. Mackay, Esq., Judge, Native Land Court, T. W, Lewis, Wellington. Under-Secretary.

No. 3. Mr. Judge Mackay to the Under-Secretary, Native Department. (Memorandum.) Native Land Court Office, Wellington, 27th June, 1891. Re late Mr. Thomas Mackay's report: Annexed is all the material that can be obtained out of the fragmentary minutes left by him. Had he lived it was his intention, in addition to other matters under contemplation for the completion of his report, to have compiled a return showing in perpendicular columns the several sections in the different Acts that conflicted with each other, with a view of exemplifying the cause that had led to the numerous complicated and defective titles that now exist. Owing to the memoranda left by Mr. Mackay containing only an imperfect indication of his views as to the action tq.be taken to remedy the defects in the existing Native land laws, it does not appear possible to add anything more to the annexed papers, and I beg to recommend that they be printed as arranged. The Under-Secretarv, Native Department, Wellington. A. Mackay. I— G. la.