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1929. NEW ZEALAND.

NATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. TONGARIRO TIMBER COMPANY AND WEST TAUPO FOREST LANDS (REPORT OF NATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ON STATEMENT OF MINISTER REGARDING), TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF EVIDENCE AND APPENDIX. (Mr. C. H. CLINKARD, Chairman.)

Report brought up Ist November, 1929, and ordered to be printed.

ORDERS OF REFERENCE. Ekiday, the 2nd Day of August, 1929. Ordered, " That Standing Order No. 219 be suspended, and that a Native Affairs Committee be appointed, consisting of sixteen members, to consider all petitions, reports, returns, and other documents relating to affairs especially affecting the Native race that may be brought before the House this session, and from time to time to report thereon to the House ; with power to call for persons and papers ; three to be a quorum ; the Committee to consist of Mr. Broadfoot, Mr. Clinkard, the Right Hon. Mr. Coates, Mr. Healy, Mr. Henare, Mr. Howard, Mr. Makitanara, Mr. McDougall, Mr. Martin, Mr. O'Brien, the Hon. Sir Maui Pomare, Mr. Rushworth, Mr. Smith, Mr. Waite, Mr. Williams, and the mover."—(Hon. Sir Apieana Ngata.) Wednesday, the 16th Day of October, 1929. Ordered, " That Paper No. 231 (' Statement regarding the Tongariro Timber Co. and West Taupo Forest Lands, by the Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata, Minister of Native Affairs ') be referred to the Native Affairs Committee." —(Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata.)

REPORT. Paper No. 231. — Statement by the Hon. the Native Minister regarding the Tongariro Timber Co. and the West Taupo Forest Lands. I have the honour to report that the Native Affairs Committee has duly considered the abovementioned paper, and makes the following recommendations : — 1. That the Aotea District Maori Land Board be permitted to give the six months' notice for termination of the agreement with the Tongariro Timber Co. 2. That the Board be empowered to represent the Native owners as from the passing of the Act. 3. That it is desirable that the Crown should acquire the timber and lands upon terms to be arranged by the Government with the Native owners of the lands concerned ; or, alternatively, that the Crown and Natives as owners of the freehold join in a scheme for the management, control, and disposal of such timber. 4. That the Government formulate a scheme for the settlement of the lands comprised in the agreement, to be effective in regard to open country, and to timber lands as the timber is worked out. Ist November, 1929. Cecil H. Clinkard, Chairman.

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