H.—l3.

60

complete proposed sales of lands held under memorial of ownership or Native Land Court certificate of title in manner provided by the Native Lands Acts ; and we also believe that a great many sales which have been so approved of and completed have been founded upon instruments in respect of which such technical defects as aforesaid exist. XIV. We, the said Commissioners, also believe that, in consequence of the facts mentioned in the last paragraph, persons dealing with Native lands and their advisers have been led to regard such technical defects as being of no consequence whatever. XV. For the reasons before mentioned, we, the said Commissioners, believe that, unless the powers created by "The Native Land Court Acts Amendment Act, 1889," are extended by the Legislature, the said Act will fail to relieve the greater number of persons who have without any fraud or dishonesty endeavoured to purchase Native lands, and who have paid large sums to the proposed Native vendors in respect of such attempted purchases; who have been let into possession of the lands so attempted to be purchased; and who have expended large sums of money in permanent improvements upon such lands. XVI. With regard to the fourth of the said applications—namely, that referring to Wharekaka No. 1 Block—we, the said Commissioners, will have the honour to make a special report to your Excellency; but we, the said Commissioners, have the honour now to report that the circumstances affecting the said block reflect no discredit upon the applicant Andrew Reeves, wrho was not himself the purchaser thereof from the Natives; and that, during the hearing of the said application, counsel for the applicant and for the objecting Natives informed us, the said Commissioners, in open Court, that they had arrived at an agreement for a compromise, but that, as a term of such compromise was that we, the said Commissioners, should grant to the said applicant a certificate under the said section 27 for certain of the shares claimed by him, and as we, the said Commissioners, believing that we had no power to grant such certificate, declined so to do, such proposed compromise could not be carried into effect, and was consequently abandoned. XVII. We, the said Commissioners, believe that it would be for the benefit of both Europeans and Natives if power were given to us, the said Commissioners, subject to proper conditions, by order, to render valid and binding upon all parties proposed compromises entered into between Natives and European purchasers. XVIII. Lastly, we, the said Commissioners, have to report that, in consequence of proper powers of adjournment not having been granted by statute to us, the said Commissioners, a very considerable loss both of public time and money has been occasioned, and that, with a view to the avoidance of this in the future, it is essential that we, the said Commissioners, should have power, by any writing under our hands, or under the hand of our secretary, from time to time to adjourn the hearing of any application made to us, and so that such adjournment may be made either to the place originally fixed for the hearing of such application or to any other place. We have, &c, W. B. Edwards (J.),) n • • John Obmsby, j'} Commissioners. His Excellency the Governor. Dated at the City of Auckland, this 16th day of January, 1891.