G—B

116. For a clearer picture of the scattered nature of the surpluses it is necessary to indicate the locations and extent of the areas, which are as follows : District. Area District. Area (Acres). (Acres). Awanui .. .. .. 5,280 St. John's Lake .. ... 118 Mangonui .. .. .. 5,013 Whau (Avondale) .. .. 1,444 Kaitaia .. .. .. 9,813 Rangitopuni .. .. 360 Whangaroa .. .. .. 7,360 Pine Island .. .. .. 88 Kaeo .. .. .. 4,163 Lucas Creek .. .. 1,000 Bay of Islands .. .. 19,543 Weiti .. .. .. 39 Waimate .. .. .. 1,745 Manukau .. .. .. 1,900 Hokianga . . . . .. 654 Onehunga . . . > .. 94 Whangarei .. .. .. 3,890 Ellerslie .. .. .. 113 Eaipara .. .. .. 5,825 Mangere .. .. .. 2,169 Great Barrier Island .. .. 6,765 Papakura .. .. .. 1,286 Upper Waitemata .. .. 228 Waiuku .. .. .. 547 Waitemata .. .. .. 577 Coromandel .. .. .. 118 Waiheke Island .. .. 763 Waipa .. .. .. 35 Remuera .. .. .. 3 Opotiki .. .. .. 6,641 Epsom ...... 8 87,582 117. Generally speaking, these surplus lands were of a mixed quality, and on this account it would be impossible to fix individual values. 118. We have reviewed the history and the circumstances surrounding this longstanding dispute. We have given it our earnest and deepest consideration, and we conscientiously believe that equitable justice will be served by payment to the Maoris concerned at the rate of 14s. per acre. 119. We unhesitatingly recommend to Your Excellency's advisers —and, we might add, in arriving at our recommendations we have not allowed sentiment or expediency in any way to influence our thoughts or conclusions : (a) That the Maoris concerned have by the unanimous decision of the whole Commission an equity in 87,582 acres of surplus land. (b) That they be compensated for this area at the rate of 14s. per acre, amounting to £61,307. (c) That this sum be in full and final settlement of certain lands known as " surplus lands of the Crown," and the schedule thereto as set out in Your Excellency's Commission of the sth October, 1946. 120. If legislation be enacted to give effect to these recommendations, we respectfully suggest that — (a) This sum, or whatever amount may be granted, be administered for the benefit of the people interested by a Trust Board already in existence or to be created. (b) The amount of such settlement be paid to the Trust in ten annual instalments, thus extinguishing the claim in that length of time. (c) The Trust be directed to consider some scheme of settlement or housing contiguous to works of a permanent or semi-permanent character and so help to stem the drift of the Maoris to the big cities.We consider the suggestion to extinguish this claim in ten years is preferable to an annual payment in perpetuity. We also consider that the larger amount received by the Trust in any one year would be sufficiently substantial to carry out some comprehensive plan of settlement. 121. We conclude by a quotation of Mr. T. Lindsay Buick in the preface to the second edition of his book, The Treaty of Waitangi referring to the spot whereon the Treaty was signed as " the classic ground on which white and brown men met and decided to put their trust in each other." A. M. Samuel. H. T. Reedy.

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