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Sess. 1T.—1897. NEW ZEALAND.

NATIVE LAND LAWS AMENDMENT BILL. REPORT OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE BILL, TOGETHER WITH THE BILL, THE MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS AND EVIDENCE, AND APPENDIX.

Report presented to both Houses of the General Assembly, 14th December, 1897, and ordered to be printed.

ORDERS OF REFERENCE. Extract from the Journals of the Legislative Council. Thursday, the 11th Day of November, 1897. Ordered, " That, in accordance with a request of the House of Representatives, expressod in their message of the 10th November, a Select Committee be appointed to consider the Native Land Laws Amendment Bill, with power to confer and sit together with a similar Committee appointed by the House of Representatives ; such Committee to consist of the Hon. P. Arkwright, the Hon. Dr. Grace, C.M.G., the Hon. Major Harris, the Hon. T. Kelly, the Hon. R. Oliver, the Hon. J. 3igg, the Hon. H. Scotland, the Hon. W. Swanson, the Hon. H. K. Taiaroa, and the mover." —(Hon. W. C. Walkeb.)

Extracts from the Journals of the. House of Representatives, Friday, the sth Day ov November, 1897. Ordered, " That the Native Land Laws Amendment Bill be referred to a Select Committoe."—(Rt. Hon. R. J. Seddon.)

Tuesday, the 9th Day of November, 1897. Ordered, "That a Select Committee, consisting of ten members, be appointed, to which shall be referred the Native Land Laws Amendment Bill, with power to confer with any similar Committee appointed by the Legislative Council, with power to call for persons, pipers, and records; three to be a quorum: the Committee to consist of Mr. R. McKenzie, Mr. Carson, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Graham, Mr. Monk, Mr. Morrison, Mr. Sligo, Mr. J. W. Thomson, Mr. Pere, and the mover." —(Hon. J. Cabboll.)

BE POET. The Joint Committee to whom was referred the above-mentioned Bill has the honour to report as follows :— Section 2 of this Bill repeals section 13 of "The Native Land Laws Amendment Act, 1895." For the purposes of the investigation, two typical cases which are affected by this section were brought before the Committee. The first was that of Messrs. Guy and Eathbone, who are lessees of the Piripiri Block. These gentlemen have a valid lease of the block for twenty-one years, ending 1907, and a second lease of individual interests in the block for an extended period. This last is stated to be invalid, owing to the provisions of " The Native Lands Frauds Prevention Act, 1881," and its amendments not having been complied with. This last-mentioned lease of individual interests has been confirmed by the Native Land Court under the 13th section of the Act of 1895. But, as the question of the validity of this lease is now before the Supreme Court, it is not necessary for the Committee to make any recommendation respecting it. The second case is that of Mr. Tizard, who, relying apparently on the 13th section of the Act of 1895, did not apply to the Validation Court, but applied to the Native Land Court and obtained I—l. 8.