Gr.—9

1927. NE W ZEALAND.

NATIVE LAND COURTS AND OTHER MATTERS UNDER CONTROL OF NATIVE DEPARTMENT. REPORT OF UNDER-SECRETARY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1927.

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

Native Department, Ist July, 1927. Right Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. Herewith is submitted a report upon the activities of the Department for the period ended 31st March, 1927. R. N. Jones, Under-Secretary. Native Land Courts. The appended tables indicate the number of sittings held by the Native Appellate Court and the Native Land Court respectively, and the amount of business transacted thereat. Fees collected totalled £6,239 17s. Id,, as against £6,791 ss. sd. during the previous period. Maori Land Boards. Private dealings with Native land confirmed by the Boards (including South Island) were — Number. ' l ' [ , p Sales .. .. .. .. .. '..439 24,204 1 15 Leases .. .. .. .. .. ..243 20,145 1 31 Native land remaining vested in the Maori Lands Boards is shown by the following table :— A. e. p. Area vested as at 31st March, 1926 .. .. .. .. 677,090 315 Area sold or revested .. .. .. .. .. 3,375 0 9 Balance under control of Boards .. .. .. 673,715 3 6 The funds held by Maori Land Boards on behalf of beneficiaries are as follows :— £ s. d. Deposited with Native Trustee .. .. .. .. 319,964 10 .3 Invested in Government securities .. .. .. .. 31,782 0 0 Invested in other securities .. .. .. .. .. 171,658 0 0 Cash balances .. .. .. .. .. 52,647 8 10 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. £576,051 19 1 The funds decreased during the year by the sum of £40,178 os. 4d. : representing payments of past accumulations to the beneficiaries entitled. Legislation passed during the 1926 session enabled the various Boards to assist Maoris within their respective districts in farming and otherwise utilizing their lands. The Maoris have awakened to the fact that if they are to retain their land they must make it productive, and the increased facilities given to them in the way of finance would appear to be opening up a new vista for them. A decrease in private transactions with Native land has caused a decrease of £400 in the yearly earnings of the Boards, which are as follows : Fees, £2,135 ; Commission, £5,358 ; as against £2,356 and £5,517 in the previous period.

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