G.—6

1939. NEW ZEALAND.

ORAKEI LANDS. REPORT OF ROYAL COMMISSION APPOINTED TO INQUIRE INTO AND REPORT AS TO GRIEVANCES ALLEGED BY MAORIS WITH REGARD TO CERTAIN LANDS AT ORAKEI, IN THE CITY OF AUCKLAND.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command.

ROYAL COMMISSION TO INQUIRE AND REPORT AS TO GRIEVANCES ALLEGED BY MAORIS WITH REGARD TO CERTAIN LANDS AT ORAKEI, IN THE CITY OF AUCKLAND.

George the Sixth, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India : To our trusty and loving subject: The Honourable Robert Kennedy, a Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand : Greeting. Whereas petitions have been presented to Parliament by certain Maoris resident at Orakei in the City of Auckland and elsewhere praying for the return to the Maoris of the subdivisions of Orakei No. 1 Reserve Block which have been purchased by the Crown from the Native owners and for the return to the Maoris of Lots 1, 2, and 3 on Plan No. 1330p, deposited in the office of the Chief Surveyor at Auckland, which said lots were purchased by the Crown from the General Trust Board of the Diocese of Auckland : And whereas the claims and allegations made by the petitioners in the said petitions were referred to the Native Land Court for inquiry and report pursuant to the provisions of section 50 of the Native Land Amendment and Native Land Claims Adjustment Act, 1928 : And whereas the report and recommendation of the Native Land Court and of the Chief Judge thereof under the said section 50 were in due course laid before Parliament as in the said section provided but for divers reasons no action thereon was taken to grant the prayers of the said petitions : And whereas the Government has decided that it cannot, on the facts as at present appearing, grant the prayers of the said petitions, but has decided to cause further inquiry to be made into the matters referred to in the said petitions as hereinafter provided : Now. therefore, we, taking into consideration your impartiality, integrity, and ability, do hereby constitute and appoint you the said Robert Kennedy to be a Commission to inquire into and report upon the following matters : — 1. Whether the Crown by its purchase of individual interests in the land known as Orakei No. 1 Reserve Block, being the whole of the land comprised and described

I—G. 6.