G.-6C

1928. NEW ZEALAND.

NATIVE LAND AMENDMENT AND NATIVE LAND CLAIMS ADJUSTMENT ACT, 1927. REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION ON PETITION No. 261 OF 1927, OF RAHERA MURIWAI MUTU MORRISON AND OTHERS, RELATIVE TO COBDEN NATIVE RESERVE.

Presented to Parliament in pursuance of the Provisions of Section 63 of the Native Land Amendment and Native Land Claims Adjustment Act, 1927.

Native Department, Wellington, 27th September, 1928. Petition No. 261 of 1927. PURSUANT to section 63 of the Native Land Amendment and Native Land Claims Adjustment Act, 1927, I herewith forward the report of the Native Land Court herein. In view of the report, I have no recommendation to make. I would, however, point out that the legislation affecting the order of 21st January, 1914, respecting Cobden Reserve did not in any way affect the merits of the investigation of the title. A freehold order had been made which the Court had not jurisdiction to make, and the Chief Judge was authorized to transform it into an order affecting the beneficial interests only, the fee-simple being then vested in the Public Trustee. R. N. Jones, Chief Judge. The Right Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington.

In the Native Land Court of New Zealand, South Island District. —In the matter of section 63 of the Native Land Amendment and Native Land Claims Adjustment Act, 1927 ; and in the matter of a Reference to the Court for Inquiry and Report respecting Petition No. 261 praying for Inclusion of Te Hore and Ngaki or their Descendants in the Native Reserves in the Cobden Township. To the Chief Judge, Native Land Court, Wellington. I have the honour to report that the Native Land Court sitting at Wellington on the 13th and 14th days of March, 1928, inquired into the claims and allegations made by Rahera Muriwai Mutu Morrison and two others in their petition to Parliament, being No. 261 of the session of 1927. The facts are as follows :— Under the New Zealand Native Reserves Act, 1856, certain parcels of land were reserved from the Arahura deed of sale of the 21st May, 1860, for the religious, social, and moral welfare of the Arahura Natives on the west coast of the Middle Island. (See pp. 386 and 387 of Mackay's Compendium, Vol. ii.) Amongst these is an area of 10 acres at site of town on the north bank of the Mawhera, or Grey, River —now called Cobden Township. On the opposite, or south, side of the Grey River was another reserve, containing 500 acres, and called Reserve No. 31, Mawhera (now called Greymouth), which was set aside for individual allotments. In January, 1879, Commissioner Young held an investigation into the title of this 500-acre reserve and the shares of the Natives entitled to inclusion, and in due course a Crown grant was issued. (See pp. 16-18 of return G.-3b.) No title was issued for Cobden, which contains 10 acres and lies on the opposite, or north, side of the Grey River. The legal estate is vested in the Public Trustee, and no inquiry was made respecting the beneficial owners until 1914, when an application for investigation of title was heard by the Court on the 12th, 15th, 20th, and 21st January. In accordance with the "takes " set up and the evidence given, the Court awarded the various sections of land constituting the Township of

* Exhibits not printed.