Gr.—7.

(2) The writing-off with respect to schemes recently reviewed of interest charges £ totalling .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 37,859 Note. —These charges have been paid annually from the Consolidated Fund appropriations as they fell due, but have not been reimbursed from the Native Land Settlement Account, there being no funds in that account to enable it. Therefore these amounts will not require to be placed upon the annual estimates of future years, but will be cleared by way of formal parliamentary sanction to sums written off as irrecoverable in the relative schedule in the Appropriation Act of 1931. (3) The writing-off of principal loan-moneys not exceeding .. .. .. 45,000 Note. —Consequentially this sum will require to be funded from the Consolidated Fund as part of the annual budgeting. These moneys have been borrowed, and must be restored. In view of the present economic conditions it is recommended that this be arranged by an item in the Native Department's estimates over a period of four to five years (say, £12,000 per annum). The effect of this will be to increase the Native Department's estimates by £12,000 annually until the deficiency of £45,000 in the Native Land Settlement Account has been made good. A. D. Park, Secretary to the Treasury.

Office of the Minister of Native Affairs, Wellington, 18th November, 1930. Memorandum for the Hon. the Acting Prime Minister. Appended is the report of the Conference between the Finance, Lands, and Native Departments on the matter of survey liens on Native Lands. The specific recommendations are — (1) Out of a total sum of £115,371 18s. 9d. scheduled as due for principal and interest the sum of £82,012 18s. 9d. be written off, leaving a balance of £33,359 to be provided either in land or cash. I approve this recommendation, subject to one variation : that the further amount of £845 be written off, the effect of which is to completely write off the survey charge on Opape Block in the Opotiki district. (2) Those contained in suggestions made by the Lands Department in regard to future surveys and the collection of survey liens in a memorandum signed by Messrs. O'Donnell and Knight. I approve these suggestions in general terms, and if approved by Cabinet will take up their consideration and application in detail, as legislation may be required to give full effect thereto. To these recommendations I may add that some survey charges on lands included in consolidation schemes with special reference to the Rotorua district were not scheduled in time for the conference, and I recommend as these come under notice that the Heads of the Treasury, Lands, and Native Departments submit proposals to Cabinet regarding the same. A. T. Ngata.

Native Department, Wellington, 14th November, 1930. Hon. the Native Minister, — Pursuant to your direction, a conference of officers attached to the Lands and Survey Department, the Treasury, and this Department was convened for 10th November to consider the question of what should be done with regard to survey charges upon Native lands within certain districts which, from their nature, have been found to be a block upon settlement and a burden upon the Native owners of the land. After careful consideration of various subcommittees, a report was submitted to the conference which is now forwarded to you for action, as it will probably require Cabinet authority before effect can be given thereto. Briefly put, there is an amount of £115,371 18s. 9d. of survey charges (inclusive of interest) affected, and of this it is proposed to remit £82,012 18s. 9d., leaving a balance of £33,359 to be provided either in land or cash. This will require an adjustment between the Consolidated Fund and the Native Land Settlement Account in such manner as Treasury and Audit shall think best, the ultimate result being the remission of the amount of £82,012 18s. 9d. referred to above. The figure recommended by the conference is one that might fairly and reasonably be made. This is concurred in by Mr. W. Taylor for the Treasury and Mr. J. B. Thompson, UnderSecretary for Lands. R. N. Jones, Under-Secretary.

Native Department, Wellington, 13th November, 1930. Memorandum for the Under-Secretary, Native Department, Wellington. Survey Liens on Native Lands, Conference re Extinquishment of. Herewith is our summary of the reports and recommendations of the subcommittees set up to examine the position of these survey liens. Attached thereto are the complete reports of the subcommittees, also a suggestion by the Lands Department officers as to the collection of survey liens and the payment of future survey costs. We have added a brief foreword to the summary of the reports and recommendations. These are now ready to be submitted to the Committee comprising the Permanent Heads of Treasury, and Lands Department, and yourself for such further action as you may deem necessary. J. H. O'Donnell. G. P. Shepherd. Wm. Taylor.

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