&.—4

SCHEDULE B. Arahura and Hokitika.

The Secretary, Westland Education Board, to the Eoyal Cojimissionebs on Native Eeseeves. Gentlemen, — Hokitika, 16th October, 1885. I have the honour, by direction of the Education Board of the District of Westland, to respectfully request that you will take into consideration the propriety of recommending that all lands on Maori reserves held for public school purposes shall be vested in the Education Board of the district within which they are situated, instead of being merely leased as at present. I am, &c, The' Eoyal Commissioners on Native Eeserves, Hokitika. John Smith, Secretary.

Hokitika —Application from the Education Board of the District of Westland to have all lands on Maori reserves, held for public school purposes, vested in the Education Board of the district within which they are situated instead of being merely leased, as at present. The Commissioners forward this application for the consideration of the Board.

C. The Manager, Humphrey's Gully United Gold Mining Company, to the Native Lands Commissionees. Gentlemen, — Hokitika, 19th October, 1885. Availing themselves of the opportunity afforded by the present inquiry into the affairs of the Native reserves at the Arahura, the directors of the Humphrey's Gully United Gold Mining Company, Limited, desire to bring under your notice the position the company occupies as lessees of Blocks Nos. 78 and 81 of the Arahura Eeserve. As the company contemplate carrying on sluicing operations on a very extensive scale, and have already spent upwards of £60,000 upon their works, it became necessary to secure as large an area as possible to deposit tailings upon; they therefore acquired from the original lessee, at a very high price, a transfer of the lease for twenty-one years of the blocks referred to, and shewn on the accompanying plan, at a rental of £7 10s. per annum. The land itself has no practical value, being too low and swampy for either pastoral or agricultural purposes, and was only taken up by the original lessees for speculation; but, in order to avoid possible complications in the future, the directors respectfully request you to recommend that their present lease be altered to a perpetual one upon such terms as you may consider equitable to both interests concerned. They would further make the suggestion that, should the Commissioners decide upon recommending the issue of perpetual leases, they will take into consideration the importance which mining of this character is likely to assume in the Arahura District, and the necessity of providing in such leases a clause empowering the resumption of the land for mining purposes. I have, &c, The Native Lands Commissioners. Joshua Gibson, Manager.

8

Namo. Section. Rent. Remarks. ilcYuigen, J. (late J. Morris). ones, E. E. ->ouglas, W. laworth and Craig 36, 37, Arahura Part 1a, i^rahura Section 67, 13a, Arahura Sections, 4, 5, Hokitika £20 £10 £6 10s., £13 £6 Eecommend re-assessment with a view to reduction. Would be covered by general re-assess-ment, coupled with surrender and renewal. Lessee is charged for 40 acres, though he does not now possess 36 acres. Eecommended for re-assessment with a view to reduction, coupled with surrender and renewal. Eecommend that rent for the remainder of the term be at present rate —£6 10s. per annum. Portion of this land having been lost through the flood, a proportionate reduction of rent from the date of the loss is recommended. Through misinterpretation of a promise of reduction of rent, intended to apply to the entire residue of the lease, the rent from the third term has been raised to £14. Eecommend that rent be charged for the whole term at £4 4s. per annum, and that credit be given for sums paid under protest in excess of this amount. aine, J. ... Section 71, Arahura £14