46
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

AN ACT to make provision for Inquiry into alleged
Grievances of Aboriginal Natives in relation to
certain Lands taken by the Crown under the au-
thority of Law, and for enabling the Governor in
Council to postpone the Trials of certain Prisoners
who have been committed for Trial for alleged
Offences concerning such Lands.
No. 25.
[19th December, 1879.]

Preamble.
WHEREAS under the provisions of an Act of the
General Assembly heretofore in force called
"The New Zealand Settlements Act, 1863," and of
the Acts amending the same, certain lands belonging
to aboriginal natives on the West Coast of the North
Island have been taken: And whereas some of such
lands have been sold and disposed of, and other part
thereof remains in the possession of the Crown:
And whereas it hath been alleged by or on behalf of
some of the said Natives that promises have been
made by or on behalf of the Government of the
colony in relation to the lands so taken, and that
such promises have not been fulfilled: And whereas
the said Natives have been for some time past and
now are in a state of discontent, and disturbances of
the public peace and other offences have lately been
committed by certain of such Natives: And whereas
it is alleged that such discontent may be removed
by inquiry being made into the said alleged pro-
mises and grievances, and it is expedient that a
Commission should be appointed for such purpose:
And whereas a large number of aboriginal natives
have been duly committed for trial at the Supreme
Court at Wellington and elsewhere in respect of
such offences, and are now confined in prison: And
whereas it is also indispensable for the peace and
safety of the colony that the ordinary course of law
should be suspended, and the trials of the said
Natives should take place under special legislation:
Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly
of New Zealand in Parliament assembled, and by the
authority of the same, as follows:—

Short Title.

1. The Short Title of this Act is "The Confiscated
   Lands Inquiry and Maori Prisoners' Trials Act,
   1879."

Governor may appoint Commissioners to inquire into Native
grievances in connection with land on the West Coast,
North Island.
2. The Governor in Council may, by Commission
under the Seal of the Colony, appoint three persons
to be Commissioners for the purpose of inquiring
into all promises and engagements that have been
made or are alleged to have been made by or on
behalf of the Government of the colony to or with
any person or persons in respect of the matters here-
inbefore stated, or any of them, in so far as affects
any lands or territory situated between the White
Cliffs and the River Waitotara, on the West Coast
of the North Island.

Commissioners' powers.
3. Every such Commission shall confer all usual
and necessary powers and authorities upon the Com-
missioners, or any two of them, and shall provide
that such notices be given, and times and places
appointed for inquiry, as may be necessary to give
effect to this Act; and shall require a report to be
made within four months after the date of the Com-
mission, setting forth the opinion of such Commis-
sioners in the premises.

Remuneration to Commissioners.
4. The Commissioners shall be entitled to such
reasonable remuneration for their services as the
Governor may prescribe.

Commissioners' expenses to be appropriated by General
Assembly.
5. The expenses of the Commissioners, and all
other expenses, whether for travelling allowances,
clerical assistance, witnesses' expenses, and all other
expenses incurred in giving effect to the preceding
provisions of this Act, shall be paid out of moneys
appropriated for that purpose by the General
Assembly.

Date of trial of certain Maori prisoners.
6. In order that the peace of the colony may be
preserved, the Governor in Council may fix the date
of trial of the said Natives so committed for trial as
aforesaid, and may declare what number of them
shall be tried at any one sitting of the said Supreme
Court, and any such order may alter or vary as
occasion shall require: Provided always that the
date to be fixed for such trial shall not be subse-
quent to the expiration of this Act.

Governor may alter place of trial.
7. If it shall be made to appear to the Governor
in Council that, for any reason, it is expedient that
the place of trial of any of the said Natives shall be
changed, then, notwithstanding any such committal
as aforesaid, the Governor in Council may order that
such Natives, or any of them, shall be tried in the
Supreme Court at any other place in the colony
where the Supreme Court sits.

Date of trial to be set forth in Order in Council.
8. The date and place of trial shall be set forth in
the Order in Council; and the Supreme Court at
which any trial shall be ordered to take place under
this Act, and every Judge of such Court, shall have
the same powers, jurisdiction, and authority in re-
spect of any such Native, or the trial to be had under
this Act, as if originally such Native had been com-
mitted for trial at the date and place named in the
Order in Council.

Duration of Act.
9. This Act shall remain in force until sixty days
after the commencement of the next session of Par-
liament and no longer.

Commissioners under "The Confiscated Lands Inquiry
and Maori Prisoners' Trials Act, 1879," appointed.

(L.S.) HERCULES ROBINSON, Governor.
To all to whom these presents shall come, and to the
Honorable Sir WILLIAM FOX, K.C.M.G., the
Honorable Sir FRANCIS DILLON BELL, Knight,
M.L.C., and HONE MOHI TAWHAI, Esquire,
M.H.R., greeting:

WHERAS by an Act of the General Assembly
of New Zealand, intituled "The Confiscated
Lands Inquiry and Maori Prisoners' Trials Act,
1879," after reciting, among other things, that under
the provisions of an Act of the General Asssembly
theretofore in force called "The New Zealand Settle-
ments Act, 1863," and of the Acts amending the
same, certain lands belonging to aboriginal natives
on the West Coast of the North Island had been
taken, and that it had been alleged by or on behalf
of some of the said Natives that promises had been
made by or on behalf of the Government of the
colony in relation to the lands so taken, and that
such promises had not been fulfilled, and that it was
expedient a Commission should be appointed to make
inquiry into the said alleged promises, it is enacted
that the Governor in Council may, by Commission
under the Seal of the Colony, appoint three persons
to be Commissioners for the purpose of inquiring
into all promises and engagements that have been
made, or alleged to have been made, by or on be-
half of the Government of the Colony to or with