NATIVE LAND.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11126, 15 November 1907, Page 5

NATIVE LAND.

THE SETTLEMENT BILL. AMENDMENTS BY COMMITTEE. (From our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Considerable amendments have been made by the Native Affairs Committee m the Native Land Settlement Bill. The Committee has inserted a new clause, providing that the Act shall not apply to the South Island or Stewart Island, to land vested m a Maori Land Board under any other Act, or to land which comes under the Thermal Springs District Act, the West Coast Settlement Reserves Act, the Native Townships Act, the Urewera Districts Native Reserve Act, the Kapiti Island Public Reserve Act, and the East Coast Native Trust Lands Act. The interpretation of "Native land" has been amended byj limiting it to land the title to which has been ascertained, and excluding land which is vested m a Maori Land Board or body corporate. The Maori, owners are empowered, with the consent of the Board to charge moneys' receivable from the land as security for moneys borrowed for the improvement of other land occupied by him; also the Board' is empowered to inquire into any •■ equitable claims with respect to land vested m it, and to deal with such claims as it thinks fit, subject to the consent of the Native Minister. The clause bringing lands vested m any Maori Land Board under the operation pf the Act has been struck out. In clause 10, giving the Governor power to restrict private alienation of any native land, the power has been restricted to land reported bn by the Commission. The Committee has also struck out clause ., 26, providing that alienated Maori land shall be subject to the provisions of the Land Laws Amendment Act. A new provision has been added, giving the Board the power to set aside any allotment for aplication m the first instance by landless natives. Clause 29, dealing with the powers of leasing, has been altered to read that the land may be. leased for any time which the Board, subject to tne approval of the Native Minister, thinks fit, with or without the right of renewal, but every lease and every renewal must terminate within' fifty years after the coming into operation of this Act. Clause 33, giving the lease the right to the value of improvement at the termination of the lease, has been modified. ,It only applies to leases of over 10 yeais, and a new sub-clause has been added directing the Board to set aside a fund from the revenues, from the land for the purpose of paying the amount of the valuation when due. An important new clause has been added> providing that at any time after fifty years from the passing of the Act the Governor shall by order m Council revest land then subject to the Act m the Maori owners who are beneficially entitled thereto, if he is satisfied (a) that the Maoris m question or a majority of them desire the land to be revested m them, (b) that the land is not subject to any lease or contract of sale, (c) that no moneys are charged on the revenues of the land. . Power is given to the Board to invest the proceeds of the land for the benefit pf the native dwners m such manner as may be prescribed by regulations. . . , The Committee has struck out clause 46, which gave the Governor power to remove members of the Board who fail to show due diligence m the performance of their powers and duties. The cost of administration of the Act is to be defrayed out of moneys appropriated by Parliament. . The Native Land Commission is to cease its operations by the Ist day of January, 1909. Power is given to the Crown to purchase any land vested m the Board at a price agreed upon. The clause re- [ lating to the setting apart of land for Maori occupation has been redrafted. ■»»■»■■■— as