G.—9

Session 11. 1918. NEW ZEALAND

NATIVE LAND COURTS, MAORI LAND BOARDS, AND NATIVE LAND PURCHASE BOARD (REPORT FROM THE UNDER-SECRETARY, NATIVE DEPARTMENT, ON THE WORKING OF) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1918.

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave

Native Department, Wellington, Ist July, 1918. The Hon. the Native Minister. I have the honour to submit the annual report on the work of the Native Land Courts, Maori Land Boards, and the Native Land Purchase. Board for the year ended 31st March, 1918. ANNUAL REPORT. Native Land Court and Native Appellate Court. The Native Land Court held 128 sittings during the year, the total number of rases notified for hearing being 17,693. The titles to 1,892 acres of customary lands were investigated during the year. Native Freehold Land. -1,247 partition orders, affecting 238,673 acres, have been made, while 8,308 other orders affecting Native, lands have been made. The. Native Appellate Court held five sittings during the year, the total number of cases scheduled being seventy. Revenue. —The revenue received by way of Court fees during the year amounted to £5,081 6s. Id. Details will be found in Table A attached hereto. Maori Land Boards. Vested Lands. —The area of land vested in and administered by the various Maori Land Boards totals 937.517 acres. Alienations of vested lands during the year consist of three leases, affecting 1,450 acres, and thirteen transfers, affecting 862 acres. Native Freehold Lands. —During the year the Boards have approved 566 leases, comprising 134,219 acres, and have confirmed 1,139 transfers (apart from sales to the Crown), affecting 119,236 acres. Forty-six mortgages, affecting 26,896 acres, were confirmed by the Boards. The total receipts of the Boards for the year amounted to £409,712 6s. Bd., and the disbursements to £380,163 ,3s. 3d. The total funds held at credit by the. various Boards on the 31st March, 1918, was £477,501 18s. 3d. Of this sum £338,795 6s. 9d." was placed on deposit with the Public Trustee in separate accounts in the names of the respective. Boards, the interest accruing thereon at the usual office rate being payable to the Natives entitled in terms of subsection (5) of section 35 of the Native. Land Amendment Act, 1913. The balance, £138,706 lis. 6d., represents the amount at credit for current account of the respective Boards. The revenue received by the Boards amounted to £7,602 2s. 2d., £3,048 Is. 6d. being received by way of fees and £4,654 Is. Bd. for commission. Details of the operations of the various Boards will be found in Table B. I— G. 9.