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pakuhas or marriage gifts; (5) Aroha, &c, and all other conditions, modern or old, under Native customs or otherwise. All such proceedings to be recorded in a record-book ; such book to be the property of the Registrar of the district. A survey of all such papatupu lands can only be made after a settlement is come to in open meeting by the Papatupu Committee. Provisions authorising surveys under the existing laws applicable to Native lands shall not apply to papatupus after the passing of this Act. All such settlements to be confirmed by the District Committee, but, should the Native Land Court be continued, then by the Native Land Court. Block Committees. —ln blocks where there are a number of owners, and where the land cannot be conveniently partitioned on account of the large number of owners and the smallness of such partitions when cut up, which would render such shares or sections valueless, the value of which would be consumed in survey expenses : such owners to elect a committee out of their own number, such committee to be called the Block Committee. Functions of the Block Committee. —To execute all papers or make any applications vesting the land in the Board, or to carry on any works of improvement or any work that the majority of the owners of such lands desire to have done. The Block Committee not to act in any matter whatever until directed so to do by a majority of the owners of such land in an open meeting of themselves called for such purpose. All such proceedings to be recorded in the Block Committee's record-book, such book to be the property of the Eegistrar of the district. Stamp Act. — Under this Act the Native stamp duty to be similar to that paid by Europeans on European conveyances. A Board of experts in Maori customs and usages to be established to form a common law for the guidance of the Native Land Court, or any other tribunal that is called upon to deal with Native lands. These are my views, shortly stated, to meet the desires of my friends, the Maori members representing the Eastern and Western Electorates, and also to meet the policy of the Government as set out in their Bill of last year, advocated by Wi Pere. I reserve the right to oppose any legislation that proposes to take away too much individual mana, or the mana of a number of owners to their own properties, and have such mana concentrated in the hands of a constituted body. Constituted bodies under this Act must only exercise administrative powers, and at the request and direction of the parties seeking their aid. The full desires (of the Maori Federated Union) expressed at Waitangi in March last I reserve. Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given ; printing (1,379 copies), £15 10».

By Authority: John Mackay, Government Printer, Welliagton.—lB99. Price Is.]