G.—9

1928. NEW ZEALAND.

NATIVE LAND COURTS AND OTHER MATTERS UNDER CONTROL OF NATIVE DEPARTMENT. REPORT OF UNDER-SECRETARY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1928.

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

Native Department, 2nd July, 1928. Right Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. Herewith is submitted a report upon the activities of the Department for the period ended 31st March, 1928. R. N. Jones, Under-Secretary.

Native Land Courts. The appended tables indicate the amount of business transacted by the Native Land Court and the Native Appellate Court respectively. The fees collected totalled £5,893, as against £6,239 17s. Id. during the last preceding period. Maori Land Boaeds.

There was a considerable increase in private dealings with Native land. Sales were fewer, but the area sold and leased increased very considerably. The areas disposed of are as follows : —

„u Area. IN umber. A. B. P. Sales .. .. .. .. .. ..414 55,408 3 32 Leases .. .. .. .. .. .. 307 91,746 1 31 The area disposed of last year was : Sold, 24,201 acres I rood 15 perches ; leased, 20,145 acres 1 rood 31 perches. Native land now remaining vested in Maori Land Boards is as follows : — A. R. p. Area vested as at 31st March, 1927 .. .. .. .. 673,715 3 6 Area sold or revested . . . . .. . . . . 937 1 23 672,778 1 23

Funds held by Maori Land Boards on behalf of Maori beneficiaries total over half a million pounds. These funds decreased by £21,854 4s. 2d. during the year under review. The following are the figures as at 31st March, 1928 :— £ s. d. Deposited with the Native Trustee .. .. .. .. 290,681 4 1 Government securities .. .. .. .. .. 29,540 0 0 Other securities .. .. .. .. .. .. 179,481 11 0 Cash balances .. .. .. .. .. .. 54,494 19 10 £554,197 14 11 The Boards received in fees £2,209, commission £4,723, as against £2,135 and £5,358 respectively during the previous period, a decrease of £501.

Native Land Purchase Board. Native lmul purchased by the Crown amounted to 17,922 acres. The area proclaimed as Grown land was 497,555 acres, which included the Urewera Blocks purchased in preceding years. Since 1910, 1,432,137 acres of Native land have been acquired through the Native Land Purchase Board, at an aggregate expenditure of £3,414,945.

J—Gr. 9.