G.—l

1908. NEW ZEALAND.

NATIVE LANDS AND NATIVE-LAND TENURE: FURTHER REPORT OF NATIVE LAND COMMISSION, DEALING WITH NATIVE LANDS IN THE WAIMARAMA ESTATE.

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

Native Land Commission, Te Kuiti, 3rd March, 1908. May it please Youb Excellency,— We have the honour to forward a further report dealing with portions of the Waimarama Estate, consisting of Waimarama, Waipuka, and Okaihau Blocks. We recommend that the following lands be reserved for the use and occupation of the Maori owners, and brought under Part II of " The Native Land Settlement Act, 1907 " :— Acres. Waipuka 3b No. 1 .... .... .... .... 2,729 „ 3b No. 2 .... .... .... .... 50 3a No. 1 .... .... .... .... 668 3a No. 2 .... ... .... .... 300 3a No. 3 .... .... ... .... 190 3a No. 4 .... ... .... .... 968 3d .... .... .... .... 1,378 And the balance of Waimarama 3a No. 6 after the portion to be leased to Miss Meinertzhagen has been cut off. In respect of Waipuka 3c No. 2, the area of which is 2,686 acres, one of the owners, Mrs. Donnelly, desires to exchange 250 acres of her interest, which amounts to 741 acres, for Okaihau No. 2f (250 acres), the property of Pukepuke Tangiora. The latter does not wish to retain Okaihau 2f, which is remote from her other lands, and is anxious to make the exchange referred to. We do not see any reason why the proposed exchange should not be given effect to. The question of the Crown acquiring by exchange the remainder of Mrs. Donnelly's interest in this block with the object of joining the lands owned by the Crown in Waipuka 3c No. 1 to 3a No. 5 is, we are informed, under negotiation with the Lands Department. The wishes of the other owners of Waipuka 3c No. 2 have yet to be ascertained. As to Waipuka No. 3d, we are informed that the owners would not be averse to the Crown acquiring the western end by exchange, to join the Crown interests in Okaihau and Waipuka, but they do not wish to sell. There are other blocks which belong to Mrs. Donnelly and her family namely, Tv Tiakitai, Iraia Karauria, and Pani Karauria. These are— Acres. Waipuka No. Iα .... ... .... .... 486 Okaihau No.3a .... .... .... .... 791 Waimarama 3a No. 5 .... .... .... .... 6,090 7,367