F—No'. 1

HEP 0 E T.

TnE Committee to which the Report of the Land Claims Commissioner has been referred, has very carefully considered the various cases which have been brought under the consideration of the Commissioner, and the Committee is of opinion that there are still individual cases of hardship arising from the terms of the Legislation on this subject. The Committee beg, therefore, to recommend that an Act be passed during the present Session, having for its object the final settlement of the Land Claims ; and to suggest that the Act in question be based upon the following principles : To exclude from its operation all those who 1. In the first place have received Grants for the Land which they actually bought. 2. Those who suffered their claims to lapse by their own default. 3. Those who voluntarily entered into an agreement with the Government (not being under duress) for the surrender their claims in exchange for Scrip, Money, or Debentures. That any Claimant not excluded by the preceding provisions should be allowed to present a Memorial to a Judge of the Supreme Court, setting forth the grounds upon which he claims any award or further grant of land, and that the Judge should determine (after such evidence as he might think fit to require as to the allegations in the Memorial) whether there was iu equity and good conscience any ground for such further award, and if the Judge should certify his opinion to that effect, he should direct certain issues to be tried by a Jury of six, impannelled from the Special Jury Lists, to assess the amount of land to be granted : and that then the Governor should issue a right of selection for the number of acres awarded by the Jury, to be selected generally out of the Waste Country Lands of the Province in which the claim was situate. In the meanwhile, the surplus Lands and the Blocks named in the Land Claims Commissioners Report should be handed over to the Province of Auckland. The Committee further recommend that the time for sending in the Memorial to a Judge of the Supreme Court be limited to a period not extending beyond the 31st day of March, 1863. 8th September, 1862. Reader Wood, Chairman.

Memorandum appended by Mr. Carleton. I have agreed to this Report, notwithstanding its imperfection, being desirous of securing such benefit at least, as is proposed to be conferred upon the claimants or grantees. Hugh Carleton.

3

LAND CL.4IMS COMMITTEE.