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before Parliament sits ;so that you Avill have the recommendation of the meeting. Therefore, as I have already said, I shall not touch upon any of the points that are deemed acceptable in the past Acts, as that is to be reserved for further consideration. If there should be any other points on Avhich the Commissioners desire that I should give evidence, perhaps they will put questions to me. 482. Mr. Bees.] In cases where dealings have been just and fair between Europeans and Maoris, but where by reason of the difficulties in the Native-land laws some trifling thing has been omitted, would you be in favour of a law being passed to remedy such technical defects where there are no disputes between Maoris and Europeans as to the fairness of the transaction?.—What I think is that in such cases all sorts of disputes should be brought before the Court I have alreadymentioned. In the beginning of my evidence I stated that that Court should have large powers "for dealing with such matters regarding all leases and so forth, and that the Court should have power, Avhere it saw that the transactions were proper, to cut off a portion of the land equivalent to the money that had been paid; and whatever the Court determined was the proper way of adjusting such matters, they should have power to give effect to that adjustment. 483. In cases like the Whangara case at Gisborne, Avhere the Natives and the Europeans publicly made an agreement: so much land sold—so much leased—and where it seemed to the Court fair, AA'ould you give it power and authority to issue titles ?—lf arrangements are made and reduced to writing between the Europeans and Natives with regard to portions to be reserved, the portions to be leased, and the portions to be sold in a block of land, the Court I have referred to should haA'e power to confirm such arrangements, because it would be, under such circumstances, quite possible to produce the document showing the assent or otherwise of the parties. 484. In cases where several of the parties lived at a great distance, if a large majority of the Natives came into Court and testified in the presence of the Court that such arrangements were made, and the Court saAV that the interests of the absent parties were being cared for, Avould you hold that that Avould be sufficient for the interests of o the Court ?—Yes. I think that Avhere a large majority of the Natives would appear in Court, and where some were unable to attend owing to their great distance from the place of sitting, the Court should have power to act on the will of the majority, taking care, of course, to protect the interests of the absentees. 485. Can you tell us Avhether it was the custom in the olden time of the Maoris that every man, woman, and child had to give assent and sign documents for every transaction ?—ln former times it was necessary in land dealings that everybody—persons of importance and persons of very little importance —should sign. This is the way it was : Supposing there Avas a hapu and I was the chief of the hapu, and that the younger members of the family were with me, I as chief of my hapu Avould first speak to the people of my hapu and the people of the tribe. I would express to them my opinion that this land should go to a certain person —should be transferred—and I as chief Avould give my reasons for saying why the land should be so disposed of. Then, after that, las chief would have the power of disposing of the land myself. My word would be final. Having in the first instance explained the proposal to the people, no one Avould then'have the power to object. Then, in more recent times, when each person's name is written in the certificate of title or Crown grant, it became necessary for each individual to be a party to the transaction. In some tribes they still adhere to the old custom I have mentioned. Then, others have abandoned altogether the old system and adopted the European method. 486. Do you think it would be Avise to return in a certain sense to the old custom, and let the people all knoAV everything Avhich was being done, but let a feAv be chosen to act with the Government Commissioner in carrying out the will of the people in leasing, mortgaging, selling, or anything else —that everything should be public?—Does that question relate to lands.over AA'hich the Native title is still unextinguished or to lands that have already passed the Court ? 487. My question relates to both, but you can distinguish between the two if you think proper? —This is my reply Avith regard to lands that have not passed the Court : that in their case they should remain in their existing state, and that there should be no surveys and no Courts. I know where the difficulty will be in such a scheme as that. The Natives see that great evils befall them through the Native Land Court, and through the Survey Department, and through litigation generally. I can explain to the Commissioners where the difficulties are that the NatiA'es complain of Avith regard to surveys, and with regard to the difficulties of the NatiA'e Land Court. I am aAvare of the price that the New Zealand Government is paying in purchasing from the Natives—2s. 6d. and ss. an acre are the prices giA'en. Besides, when the Natives get their lands surveyed, the survey of the block will in some cases amount to £500 or £600. That is only for the external boundary. Then come the internal subdivisional surveys, and these amount also to a very large sum, perhaps another £500 or £600. And then, before these subdivisional surveys are made, there are large sums to be paid by the Natives for Native Land Court fees, and for agency purposes, and for other expenses incurred ; and all these outlays are to be met from the ss. an acre that is derived from the sale of the land. Then, if the Natives sell, the proceeds of the sale are to go to pay these expenses, and the whole of the land is absorbed in this way, nothing being left for the Natives. This is the effect of the system that at present prevails. But the Maori is in this position: He does not know what to do, the laws having been passed under which he is to act. That is the reason why I think the Native lands should remain in their natiA'e state until some better course is discovered, and a simpler way of dealing Avith them. There are many difficulties that arise under the existing system. One of them is this : Supposing that I have a Crown grant for a piece of land and I wish, to lease it to a European. The European has paid a large amount of duty to the Government, and that then reduces the amount the Native will get for his land; and that is the reason Avhy the Natives get very little for their land. So much has to be paid for duty in the first instance that but little is left for improvements, and consequently people are afraid to attempt to acquire Native land at all,