New Bills.

Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 125, 29 May 1888, Page 3

New Bills.

Three of -the Nsifoo Policy Bills of the Government were eir«*fctea to-day. The purpose of the Maori Real Estate Management Bill is "to proviso far the management of real eßtate belorging to fefants and others of tho Maori race under dmab/hty, and its details relate merely to the appointment and powers of trustees for youthful and lunatio natives. Authority is conferred upon the trusteea to sell or lease the trust estate, subject to the approval of a Judge of the Native Land Court. The Bill to amend the Native Land Court Aot, 1886,. enables any conveyance of land held by memorial or certificate of title exeouted by natives since the SOth September, 1886, to be minuted by the Registrar -upon the memorial or certificate of title, provided that it bears the Trust Commissioner's certificate and is duly stamped and registered. The Chief Judge is required to , forward the deeds to the Governor within, three moritha, together with Buoh report as > he may deem fit, when hia Egsejlenoy may issue to the transferee a warrant for a certificate of title under the (and Transfer Aot. The Bill contains provisions for the registration of leaaes,'the satisfaction of Crown claims in reapept of acquired shares op of: moneys advanced, and various amendments of existing statutes jo matters of detail. The Native Land 'Frauds Prevention Aot Amendment Bill "provides that a deed executed by a native shall have np effeot aa a conveyance or lease to n. European unless la) a translation of its effect be endorsed avion it by a licensed interpreter; (b) its «fte,ot be explained to the native by an interpreter prior to its exeontion j («} the execution bfe made in the presence of «ther a Judge #esident Magistrate, Trust Commissioner; "or two witnesses, one of whom •shall be a not concerned in tbe transaction, I**1 ** » Justice of the Peace, and the other a male adult ; or (a) then be upon the deed a plan of «w land. A half-aaste is, however, to oxeonte any deed in the same manner as a European, provided that there shall be a certificate by a Ja»tice of the Peace that he has sufficient knowledge of the English language to enable him to understand the deed. The fifteenth olaase of the original Aot is repealed, and the Trust Commissioner is^-ecnpowered to endorse a certificate if hd w satisfied that the natives interested in the land, the subjeot of alienation, have snffioient land left for their occupation or support, the consideration agreed upon has been given, *nd certain formalities complied with. Dealings with native lands are prohibited «ntil their ownership has been defined, under a penalty not «xoeeding £500, while all transactions prior to the ascertainment of ownership are declared void. Only persons authorised by the Governor can, however, lay informations for suoh offences, and none •C the provisions of the Bill are to affect the ■Crown or any person acting on behalf of the Government. The Native Land Aot is not yet in oironiation, but it is understood that it will repeal the Native Land Administration Act of 1886, and «oable natiYefl to alienate their interests in land in tbe same manner as Europeans, %ut subject to the statutes for the prevention of fraud. Native land-owners are made liable to the«ame taxes and rates as Europeans, whose privileges they are likewise to share. _^^ — _--__ - _»^^,.