NATIVE LANDS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue 70453, 2 October 1900, Page 2

NATIVE LANDS.

A copy of the Native Lands Control and Administration Bill is to hand. The measure provides for the establishment of native land districts, each of which is to be controlled by a Native Land Board, consisting of two Europeans (one of whom shall be president), to be appointed by the Governor, and two natives, to be elected by tbe Maori owners out of their number. These boards are to hold office for three years, and elections are ta be held in the same manner as elections for members of the House of Representatives foe a Maori electoral district. The bill also provides for the setting up of Block Committees. Where the native owners of a block of land number more than ten, a committee, consisting of seven members, may be elected from among such owners, ihe election to be by nomination by the owners. Where the native owners number les3 than ten, the whole of them shall constitute the committee, but power is given to the Governor to exempt any block of land where the owners, being less than ten in number, desire to administer the lands themselves. The committees are to have tbe right of conferring with and advising the boards, and shall be consulted by the boards with, respect to proposals for the disposition of the land. Any board is not bound to carry out the recommendations of any committee when a district is constituted under the Act,, but all the native lands within Buch district will become vested in the bqard, which will administer it for the benefit of the native owners. The board may lease the land, but may not sell it or dispose of it by way of occupation with right of purchase. It may also set aside any portion of any block for the personal use and occupation of the block owners, for reserves, burial places, schools, churches, recreation grounds, and for creameries, dairy or bacon factories, or other similar "purposes, and may expend money in layIng off, forming, and maintaining roads, making surveys, and opening up the land for settlement. Maori lands may be taken for public pui poses, and tbe Native Land Board is vested with the powers of the Native Land Court as to questions of ownership, etc. The income from the lands so administered is to be paid to the board, which shall' devote it to paying the cost of administration and mortgage charges, the surplus to be paid half-yearly to the owners of the block in proportionate shares. The Native Minister is empowered to make advances to a board for constructing roads and making surveys, provided that the amount to be advanced to any board in any one year shall not exceed £5000, and the amount of such advance, with interest at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum, shall be a charge upon the income derived from tbe land. Advances may also be made to discharge encumbrances on the land, and the amount of the advance shall be paid by half-yearly instalments for a term not exceeding 42 years, commencing not later than four years after the money is advanced, with interest during the interval. Instalments and interest moneys are to be paid by tbe Colonial Treasurer to the Public Trustee, who is to invest them and hold them at the disposal of the Treasurer for the purpose of providing the principal and interest of moneys payable in respeot of debentures. With regard to these debentures, it is provided that for the purpose of providing funds, out of which all advances under the measure may be made, the Colonial Treasurer may raise money from certain of the public accounts, and as security he may issue debentures bearing interest at not more than four per cent. The bill also makes provision for the completion of negotiations by the Crown now pending for the purchase of native lands, and for the completion of private lawful dealings in native land in progress at the time the Act comes into operation.