a.— 9

2

It is interesting to note that, for the first six months or more, practically no application was received to call a meeting of assembled owners to consider a proposed alienation. Now, however, the provision is better known, and the areas shown in the table as being dealt with under Part XVIII were marly all dealt with in the last half-year. It may be confidently assumed that that area will be trebled when the returns for 1911-12 come to be prepared. The Boards' revenues may be considered as self-supporting. They are now doing very good work, and facilitating settlement to a large extent, especially when one considers the advantages obtainable through the provisions of assembled owners' meetings. To quote figures, I may state the six Boards received on account of rents and land-purchase moneys, for the year ending 31st March last, a sum of £193,758 14s. 5d., made up as under : — Rents and Purchase-moneys, Fees, &c. £ s. (1. Ikaroa .. .. .. .. .. .. 98,074 10 0 Aotea .. .. .. .. .. .. 35,991 14 4 Waikato-Maniapoto .. .. .. ..' .. 35,382 9 0 Tairawhiti .. .. .. .. .. .. 11,442 811 Tokerau .. .. .. .. .. .. 9,311 19 0 Waiariki .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,555 13 2 Total £193,758 14 5 It goes without question that when sums as shown are handled, some actual business must be transacted. Table B attached hereto sets out in detail the operations of the Boards. The revenue derived per medium of fees received and outstanding for the financial period ended the 31st March, 1911, amounted to £3,469 18s. 6d. In connection with the work of the Boards, it must be remembered that they deal with a fair number of applications for meetings of assembled owners on behalf of the Native Land Purchase Board, for which they do not receive any fee, neither are they credited with the amount by way of transfer vouchers. In this connection, if fees were paid according to schedule, the sum of £132 would have been credited during the financial period just ended. Native-land Purchases. The purchase of Native lands has gone on apace. The Native Land Purchase Board, as constituted by section 361 of the Native Land Act, 1909, has been busy considering and dealing with numerous offers, aggregating 902,074 acres. During the period the Board held twelve meetings. The purchase of 75,437 acres has been completed, while some 430,560 acres are in course of completion. Table C shows in detail the operations of the Native Land Purchase Board. Surveys of Native Lands. As pointed out in previous reports, survey controls and is the crux of the whole position. If it were possible for the Survey Department to keep abreast of the demands made upon it for the survey of Native lands, the Native Department would then be in the position to place a very large area of land for settlement on the market. At the present time it is understood that surveyors are engaged in the survey of some 603,383 acres of Native land scattered over the Dominion, for the purpose of completing Native Land Court orders and cutting up lands for leasing by the various Maori Land Boards. Native Interpreters. The provisions of the Native Land Act, 1909, and the regulations have been the means of increae ing the number of applicants to be examined for a license of the first grade. During the period twentytwo first-grade and nine second-grade licenses were granted. The total fees collected under this head and paid into the Consolidated Fund amounted to £92 ss. for the financial year ending 31st March, 1911. Maori Councils. The position of the Maori Councils (Health) Act pequires attention —in fact, needs consolidating. 11 this is not done, then I think, from the point of view of health, it is advisable that the working of these Councils should be carried out under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Health. They, now having charge of Native medical matters generally, could take up the work by the bringing of section 68, Public Health Act, 1908, into operation. Special District and Health Committees under that section could be set up on the lines of districts and Councils as now existing, which would allow of the necessary proceedings being carried out, and would perhaps, from the position of health, be more satisfactory, as being under the direct control of the officers of the Public Health Department. Maori Health. I regret to report that outbreaks of typhoid among Natives have been somewhat serious, notably in Waiapu, Gisborne, Kaipara, Kawhia, and Rotorua (Te Puke) districts. Typhoid, being an infectious disease, is under the control of the Department of Public Health. In every case, however, the Native Department has rendered assistance financially and offered the services of Dr. Pomare and Nurses Hei and Whangapirita.