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rangi or Matakowhai Block, lying between Kawhia and Pirongia, and impeding the proper settlement of lands in that district. The papatupu lands near the East Cape have been characterized by a competent valuer as the best virgin-bush lands in the North" Island from the standpoint of the pastoralist. Those in the Bay of Plenty, though not as rich as the lands adjoining on the east coast, are healthy grazing-country, two-thirds of which will carry surface-sown English grasses and clovers. We have remarked in detail in previous reports on these lands and on the papatupu areas in the North of Auckland district. There is no royal road to the settlement of these lands except by first clothing them with titles, and ascertaining the owners. Another class of land taken out of our jurisdiction by Parliament (section 3, " Native Land Settlement Act, 1907 ") consists of trust lands and lands held under special Acts. We give a summary of the areas so held :— a t Area. Acres. The Thermal Springs Districts Act .. .. .. 300,000 (approximately). The Urewera District Native Reserve Act .'. .. 646,862 ~ . . The West Coast Settlement Reserves Act .. .. 193,272 (see G.-2, 1907). The Native Townships Act . . .. .. .. 3,488 The Kapiti Island Native Reserve Act .. .. 5,005 The East Coast Native Trust Lands Act .. .. (see G.-iii, 1908). Vested in Maori Land Boards .. .. .. 374,856 Total .. .. .. .. .. 1,709,871 To this class properly belong lands held under trust by Trustees appointed under " The Native Land Laws Amendment Act, 1897," or private estates such as the Wi Pere Trust and reserves administered by the Public Trustee other than reserves under the West Coast Settlement Reserves Act. We give the totals of these as far as we have been able to ascertain them :— Acres. Wi Pere Trust Estate .. . . . . .. .. . . 38,168 Lands administered by Trustees under " The Native Land Laws Amendment \ Act, 1897 " .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 88,976 Lands administered by a receiver appointed by the Validation Court .. 12,325 Reserves administered by the Public Trustee other than West Coast Settlement Reserves .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,718 . Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 145,187 These were not expressly excluded from review by the Commission, but'the terms of the various trusts and of the legislation creating them precluded our dealing with such lands except in some special way, if matters affecting them were brought under our notice. Lastly, the terms of Your Excellency's Commission (paragraph 1 refers specifically to Native lands unoccupied or not profitably occupied) and the nature of the contracts took out of the scope of our inquiry lands which were under lease or subject to bona fide negotiations for lease (apart from trust lands whether vested in boards or trustees or the Public Trustee): We have not interfered with such contracts or negotiations, except to point out in some cases what we thought were transactions contrary to public policy, though permitted by law, and except where the parties asked us to intervene so as to recommend a settlement of outstanding difficulties to Your Excellency and the Parliament. It has been exceedingly difficult to obtain reliable data as to Native lands under lease or negotiations for lease. Where the leases were registered or had been approved by the Maori Land Boards the information was readily available. In the case of unregistered leases we had to depend on the knowledge of leading Maoris and others in various districts. As far as we have been able to ascertain, the area of Native lands (other than trust lands) under lease or under negotiation for lease is approximately 2,350,000 acres ; it will probably be found that the correct amount is nearer 2,400,000 acres. ■ To sum up, the area of land directly or indirectly taken out of the scope of our inquiry, either because the title had not been ascertained, or because the title was