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27th September, 1!) 11. Memorandum for the President, Tairawhiti District Maori Land Board, Gisborne. Re Resignation. Referring to your memo, of the 20th instant, I note your remarks, " will be only too glad to carry on in terms of your memo." This, I presume, refers to continuing either to the 31st October or to the c-nd of the current year— which, however, you do not specify. I hardly follow your statement that you take it to be in the future yon will have a free hand in official duties, for interference is what you resent. Ido not understand what you are alluding to, for as far as I am aware very little interference has been made in the working of the Board. If, of course, you are referring to my letter of the 28th ultimo in connection with the Wharekahika Block, then I can only say that, as head of the Department, when I find a Board lias to some extent misinterpreted a particular section of the Act, which it should have read in conjunction with the Act generally, I should be wanting in my duty if I did not point out the position. 1 think if you look into the Act can fully yourself you will see the procedure adopted in regard to the above-mentioned block can hardly be conducive to good settlement or what it is intended the Native Land Act should allow. In the present case we have a petition now before Parliament asking for reinveetigation of the whole title, which, of course, if acceded to, will cause a considerable amount of agitation to those who may probably claim thai from granting a precedent consent certain rights exist. As far as the Boards generally are concerned, they have distinctly refused precedent consent excepting where the title to the area to be dealt with is within the limitation as set out in Part XII of the Act. I am not clear as to whether these lands are included in your return as to transactions completed; if so, it will be necessary to reduce your total by these areas. Thos. W. Fisher, Under-Secretary. Telegram from Alex. Keeper, President, Gisborne, to Undfh-Secretady, Native Depaetment, Wellington. 2nd October, 1011. Rβ memo, of 27th ultimo, date !«• definitely .'ilst of October, which 1 announce at to-morrow's sitting. Afuproxinuite tost of I'aper.— Preparation, not tfiveu : printing (1,400 copies), £2.

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