G— B

prior to the establishment of British sovereignty or since that period with the sanction of the Government or under the Proclamations aforesaid : And whereas, in accordance with the recommendations of the aforesaid Commissioners, grants of land were made and issued out of lands which had been the subject of such dealings as aforesaid (whether prior to the establishment of British sovereignty or thereafter), and by reason of the limitations imposed by certain of the Ordinances and Acts hereinbefore referred to, parts only of certain areas the subject of the said dealings were granted by the Crown to the land claimants, the remaining parts of such areas (hereinafter referred to as surplus lands) remaining demesne lands of the Crown : And whereas in and by petitions to Parliament and otherwise members of the Maori race have from time to time claimed and contended that the surplus lands should have reverted to the members of that race who would but for the purchases, gifts, conveyances, or other agreements aforesaid have been the owners thereof according to their customs and usages or to their successors by Native title : And whereas the Government has not admitted such claims and contentions as aforesaid but is desirous that the members of the Maori race so claiming and contending should be afforded an opportunity of pleading and proving the justice and merit of their claims and contentions to the end that if those claims and contentions are well founded in equity and good conscience the General Assembly may be enabled to consider what relief (if any) should be accorded or granted to them: Now know ye that We, reposing trust and confidence in your impartiality, knowledge, and ability, do hereby nominate, constitute, and appoint you, the said Sir Michael Myers, Hanara Tangiawha Reedy, and Albert Moeller Samuel, to be a Commission—(a) To inquire in a general way into the transactions by reason of which certain parcels of land, being demesne lands of the Crown, became surplus lands as aforesaid, and particularly into any specific transactions the terms of which may be brought before you by any person interested, including transactions relating to the lands referred to in the Schedule hereto, and to report whether, having regard to the circumstances in which the lands of which the surplus lands formed part were originally alienated or disposed of by the aboriginal owners thereof, the surplus lands or any part thereof ought in equity and good conscience to have been or be returned to or vested in the former aboriginal owners thereof or have been and be regarded as Native land.

3