WAITANGI GIFT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21359, 7 December 1932, Page 12

WAITANGI GIFT

TRUST BOARD MEMBERS

POWER FOR APPOINTMENT CONTROLLING THE ESTATE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY [BY TEI-ECmAPFT —SrECIAT, UEPOBTKtI] WELLINGTON, Tuesday Arising out, of the gift of the historic Waitangi estate' to tho nation by Their Excellencies, Lord Bledisloo and the Lady Bledisloe, tho Waitangi National Trust Board Bill was introduced in the House to-day.

The bill incorporates the board, of which Their Excellencies will he life mombers. Ex officio members will bo. the Prime Minister, the lit. Hon. G. W. Forbes, Lite Minister charged with administration of the Sconery Preservation Act, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, and the Native Minister, Sir Apirana Ngata. After the expiration of Lord Biedisloe's term as GovernorGeneral, his successors in that office, on signifying their willingness to act, shall also be ex officio mombers. Representative Members On ceasing to hold the office by which ho is described, every ex officio member of the board shall cease to be a member and his successor in office shall become a member of the board. The following shall be deemed representative members of the board in the capacities in which they are described: Mr. K. S. Williams, M.P., as member of the family of the late Archdeacon Henry Williams; Mr. Iliri Maihi Kawiti, as member {'boson from the Hone Hoke, Maihi Kawiti, Tamati Waka Ncne and Pomare families; Mr. Tau Henare, M.P., as representative of Maori people living in the North Auckland Peninsula; Mr. Te Rate Mahttta, as representative of Maori people living in the North Island south of the city of Auckland; Mr. Vernon H. Reed, as representative of palceha residents of the Bay of Islands district; Sir Robert Heat on Rhodes, as representative of people, pakelna and Maori, living in the South Island; Sir Francis Dillon Bell, as representative of the family of tho late Edward Gibbon Wakefield; and the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, as a person prominent in the life of the country as a statesman. When the position on the board of a representative member becomes vacant, the board is empowered to fill the vacancy. When the position filled by Mr. Coates becomes vacant, his successor shall be a person prominent in the life of the country as a statesman, historian, archaeologist, natural historian or otherwise. Penalties for Offences The Waitangi National Trust is vested in a board which is given wide powers under the bill for managing and controlling the lands. Any person is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for three months or to a fino of £SO who, without the board's authority, lights any fires; wilfully breaks or injures any fence, building or erection; wilfully breaks, cuts, injures or removes any trees or materials; wilfully digs, cuts or injures the sod; shoots at any bird or animal; or wilfully takes, destroys or injures any bird, animal or nest, or egg of any bird on the lands vested in the board.

In addition, any person convicted of any of the. above offences shall bo liable for any loss or damage which may be awarded by the Court in fixing a penalty and recovered as a fine. In every case where wilful intent must be shown, such intent shall be presumed until the contrary is proved. The board is given comprehensive powers for the making of by-laws relative to the control and management of the area, which, by another clause, is exempted from taxation and rating. Powers for Improvements In furtherance of the purposes and -objects of the trust, the board may, inter alia, repair, rehabilitate, add to and maintain the old Residency once occupied by Sir. James Busby, erect or permit the erection of any monuments, museum, art gallery, library, baths or other buildings consistent with the purposes of the trust, lay out lands as lake fisheries or b.irtl and animal sanctuaries; lay out and equip golf courses, bowling greens, tennis courts and any other areas as recreation grounds; accept transfers of or give and take in exchange land or buildings; and accept moneys raised by public subscription and articles of historic value, and apply such lands, moneys and articles for tho purposes of the trust, provided that the power of giving lnnd in exchange shall not authorise the alienation of landß exceeding one-sixth of tho total area.