G.—2.

Session 11. 1912. NEW ZE A L AND.

WEST COAST SETTLEMENT RESERVES (NORTH ISLAND) COMMISSION (REPORT ON), TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS AND EVIDENCE.

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

COMMISSI O N .

Islington, Governor. To all to whom these presents shall come, and to Alexander McArthur, Esq., of Wellington, Master of Arts, Doctor of Laws, Stipendiary Magistrate ; and to William Kerr, Esquire, of Wanganui, Stipendiary Magistrate : Greeting. Whereas the lessees of lands held under the provisions of the West Coast Settlement Reserves Act, 1881, and its amendments, are desirous of surrendering their present leases and obtaining in lieu thereof leases under section eight of the West Coast Settlement Reserves Act, 1892 : And whereas some of the said lessees allege that they have been misled by the form of the lease or the conduct of the Public Trustee into supposing that the compensation payable in respect of the improvements on their leases was not limited to the sum of five pounds (£5) for every acre thereof, and acting on that supposition made or purchased improvements in excess of that limit: And whereas the Native owners of the lands included in the said leases allege that such lands will be required for their own use and occupation on the expiration of the said leases, and have requested that the desire of the present lessees to obtain permission to surrender their leases and obtain fresh leases under the West Coast Settlement Reserves Act, 1892, shall not be granted : And whereas it is expedient that full inquiry should be made into the several matters hereinafter mentioned : Now, therefore, I, John Poynder Dickson-Poynder, Baron Islington, Privy Councillor, Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, the Governor of the Dominion of New Zealand, in pursuance and exercise of every power and authority enabling me in this behalf, and acting by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the said Dominion, do hereby appoint you, the said Alexander McArthur and William Kerr, to be Commissioners for the purpose of inquiring into the several matters and things hereinafter mentioned and referred to, that is to say : — 1. On what terms and conditions the said lessees or any of them should be permitted to surrender their present leases and obtain new leases in lieu thereof under section eight of the West Coast Settlement Reserves Act, 1892.

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