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furnished by Messrs. Grace, Mackay. Pitt, and Dunbar Johnson are appended, and their efforts and results are clearly given. Messrs. Grace and Mackay both show a larger area in their reports than is returned in the above schedule, but as negotiations had not been actually entered into prior to the 31st March they were not included in the schedule. The actual expenditure incurred to the 31st March, 1907, is as follows : — Maori Land Settlement Act Account. Expenditure for 1906-7. £ s. (I. Charges and expenses on issue of debentures .. .. . . 767 10 0 Purchase of Maori lands .. . . .. . . .. 99,873 10 4 Survey liens paid off .. .. . . .. .. 4,041 6 0 Salaries and general administrative expenses .. .. .. 1,706 16 5 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. £106,389 2 9 Balance available for 1907-8 .. .. .. .'. £96,574 4 7 Attached to this report will be found maps illustrating the position of the several purchases, and which will enable the operations and their localities to be easily understood. Areas obtained in Lieu of Liens. In many portions of the districts over which the Land Purchase Officers were operating it was found that, in addition to the liens held by the Crown for surveys, private surveyors were owed considerable sums for work performed for Native Land Court purposes. It was therefore decided to pay off these liens and take over the liabilities of the several Native owners, and in conjunction with the purchased areas arrange for land being cut off for the Crown in full satisfaction of all survey liens. These have been apportioned in the several districts as follows : — Acres. Areas awarded in satisfaction of liens in the Taranaki District .. .. 5,152 Liens purchased from private surveyors, and for which areas will be obtained in the Auckland District . . .. .. .. .. 3,082 Areas to be obtained in lieu of liens already held — Auckland District .. .. .. .. .. .. 25,000 Hawke's Bay District .. .. ..' .. .. .. 5,000 Wellington District .. .. .. .. .. .. 15,000 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 53,234

APPENDIX. REPORTS OF NATIVE LAND PURCHASE OFFICERS. Report of Mr. W. H. Grace. Sir,— Kihikihi, 20th May, 1907. Re Purchase of Native Lands. I have the honour to report as follows : Considering we did not actually start purchasing until about the middle of October last, Ido not think we can complain of the result to date. Of course, a great deal of detail work had to be done prior to the time when purchasing really started; besides, a great deal had to he done to induce Natives to make a start to sell, as in all matters of this kind there are many elements to contend with so as to induce them (the owners) to fall in with one's wishes. For instance, in this district a large section of Natives strenuously opposed selling or dealing in any way with the land, and many meetings were held in different places with the above object. Other leaders of the people tried hard to stop business by trying to persuade them to do nothing until some effort was further made to get the law T altered so that free trade in Maori lands might be brought about. Others, again, advocated having the powers of the Maori Land Boards increased, and that the lands should only be leased through the said Boards, and all money coming from the lands leased should be handled by the Boards ; also that such Boards should be intrusted with funds by the Government for roading, cutting up, and bringing the said lands into the market. The system of forming corporations was generally condemned, all the people objecting to the Public Trustee having the handling of the money accruing from the lands as provided by the Act. I may here state that trustees for infants absolutely refuse to sell, for the reason that the consideration-money must be paid to the Public Trustee. They say they are just as capable of looking after the welfare of their children as the Public Trustee. This fact has greatly gone against me in my purchasing-work, not a sale having been made where the money had to be paid to the Public Trustee, with the result that I have not been able to acquire large