G.—lo.

PART V. - EAST COAST NATIVE TRUST LANDS In pursuance of section 7 of the Board of Native Affairs Act, 1934-35, the East Coast Trust lands and the Mangatu Trust were brought under the control of the Board as far as the operations of the trusts relate to the expenditure or investment of any moneys or to the giving of mortgages over any property vested in the East Coast Commissioner are concerned. The Commissioner is a trustee appointed by the Governor-General by Order in Council under the enactments of Part IV of the Native Purposes Act, 1931, and is charged with the management and control of certain lands in the interests of the beneficial owners thereof, all of whom are aborigines of New Zealand. The genesis of the title of the East Coast Commissioner arose from the chaotic condition of the settlement of Native land in the Gisborne district in the seventies and eighties of the last century, as a result of the titles of the large areas of Native lands in that district not having been fully investigated. Consequent upon the state of affairs then prevailing, a special Validation Court was constituted by Act of Parliament in 1893 and endowed with sufficient powers and jurisdiction to finally settle all conflicting interests, claims, and debts arising out of land transactions affecting the district. In an attempt to preserve to the original Native owners certain of the lands which otherwise may have been alienated, trustees for the owners beneficially interested in large blocks were appointed, these appointments ultimately being confirmed by order of the Validation Court. In 1902 the East Coast Native Trust Lands Act was passed which provided a method of salvaging the East Coast blocks from realization by the mortgagees. This Act provided for the postponement of the sale by mortgagees of certain lands held by the trust for Natives upon the East Coast of the North Island, and made other provisions relating thereto. A Board of three persons was appointed to administer the trusts, and this Board afterwards became a body corporate under the name of " The East Coast Native Trust Lands Board " with perpetual succession and a common seal. In 1906 the Board was dissolved and a Commissioner was appointed with extended powers, which included the farming of lands and the setting-aside of sites for villages. Acting under his increased powers, the Commissioner commenced farming operations in 1907, his policy being to employ Native owners for the purpose of breaking in and developing the lands. In 1921 the affairs of the trust came more under the control of officers of the Native Department with the appointment of a late Judge of the Native Land Court as Commissioner and the then Registrar of the Native Land Court at Gisborne as his agent. The present Chief Judge of the Native Land Court assumed the office of Commissioner in 1933, but retired in 1935 from the Commission, and was succeeded by the present holder of the office, who is also a member of the Board of Native Affairs. The Judge of the Native Land Court at Gisborne is the Deputy Commissioner. The total area of the trust vested in the Commissioner comprises 223,422 acres. It is divided into two portions —the East Coast Native Trust lands and the Mangatu No. 1 Block. The East Coast Native Trust lands comprise 114,513 acres, of which 61,907 acres are divided into eleven stations. The Mangatu No. 1 Trust comprises 108,909 acres, of which 43,701 acres, divided into seven stations, are at present being farmed by the Commissioner. Each farm is controlled by a resident manager who is under the direct personal supervision of a farm supervisor. These lands are scattered from. Tolaga Bay in the north to Wairoa in the south, and extend from the extreme point of the Mahia Peninsula on the east to over a hundred miles inland. In the Wairoa district several large areas lie at the headwaters of the Ruakituri and Hangaroa Rivers. The remaining lands comprise 96,835 acres, which are leased in thirty farms and stations, principally to Europeans. There are also 20,979 acres of undeveloped land. The number of permanent employees on the stations of the Commissioner total ninety-one. Consequent upon the exigencies of the presentation of this report and the fact that the financial year of the trusts ends on 30th June of each year, it has not been possible to supply many details concerning the year's operations. The live-stock returns at the 30th June, 1937, were as follows : 100,549 sheep and 12,510 head of run cattle. The wool-clip for the 1937-38 season was 2,128 bales. A table is appended to show further details relative to the trusts.

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