G.—9

Session 11. 1921. NEW ZEALAND.

NATIVE LAND COURTS, MAORI LAND BOARDS, AND NATIVE LAND PURCHASE BOARD (REPORT FROM THE UNDER-SECRETARY, NATIVE DEPARTMENT, ON THE WORKING OF) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1921.

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

Sir,-- Native Department, Wellington, 30th June, 1921. I have the honour to submit the annual report on the work of the Native Land Courts, Maori Land Boards, and the Native Land Purchase Board for the year ended 31st March., 1921. The Hon. the Native Minister. C. B. Jordan, Under-Secretary. ANNUAL REPORT. Native Land Court. One hundred and nine sittings of the Native Land Court were held during the year. The total number of cases notified for hearing was 27,032, and the number dealt with 13,016. Partition orders to the number of 813, affecting 317,842 acres, were made, and 6,642 succession orders and 2,027 other orders affecting Native land were made. The Native Appellate Court held nine sittings during the year. The number of cases scheduled was seventy-eight, and sixty-nine cases were dealt with. The Court fees received amounted to £6,279 17s. lid., as against £5,994 9s. for the previous year. Details will be found in tables attached hereto. Maori Land Boards. Vested Lands. During the year 2,906 acres were alienated by way of lease, 2,396 acres were sold, and 1,052 acres were revested in the Native owners. The following figures show the position of lands vested in and administered by the various Maori Land Boards at 31st March, 1921 : — Acres. Acres. Acres-. Area vested in Boards- up to Ist April, 1920 .. .. .. .. .. 942,632 Area sold prior to Ist April, 1920 .. .. .. .. 137,899 Area sold by Boards during year .. .. .. .. 2,396 140,295 Area revested in Native owners during year .. .. .. .. 1,052 141,347 Total area remaining vested in and administered by Boards at 31st March, 1921 - .. .. 801,285 Native Freehold Lands. No. Acres. Acres. Leases confirmed 403 39,979 Transfers confirmed .. .. .. .. .. ..1,345 91,597 — 131,576 Mortgages confirmed .. .. .. ■. .. .. 73 .. .17,332 Funds of Boards. The total receipts of Boards for year were £496,810 14s. Bd., and the total disbursements £490,944 17s. lOd.; the total amount at credit of Boards on 31st March, 1921, being £656,527 16s. Id. Of the amount at credit of the various Boards £544,441 15s. lid. is deposited with the Native Trustee, £26 900 invested in War Fund bonds, and £85,186 Is. Id. held at credit of current account of the Boards. The. revenue received by the Boards amounted to £9,998 2s. lid. —£4,547 12s. 6d. by fees and £5,450 10s. sd. for commission. Native-land Purchase. During the year 56,595 acres were purchased, and 117 blocks, comprising 82,909 acres, were proclaimed Crown lands. The total area of Native-land purchased by the Crown since 1909 is 1,133,165 acres, and the total amount of purchase-money paid £2,768,529. Urewera Reserves. —9,404 acres were purchased during the year, making a total area purchased to date of 329,982. In order to enable the land already purchased to be opened up for settlement as early as possible, it has been arranged to hold a meeting between the Crown and the Native owners to consider a scheme of consolidation of the interests of the non-sellers and of the Crown respectively.

I—G. 9.