No. 87 of the year 1901, page 1923; towards the east generally by the sea; towards the south generally by the Akitio and Pahiatua Counties; towards the west generally by the Pohangina, Kiwitea, and Rangitikei Counties; and towards the north-west generally by the Wanganui and Waimarino Counties to the southern boundary of East Taupo County aforesaid. The said area comprises the Counties of Hawke's Bay, Patangata, Woodville, Waipawa, and Weber, and part of the County of Wairoa.

As witness the hand of His Excellency the Governor, this tenth day of April, one thousand nine hundred and seven.

JOHN G. FINDLAY,
Colonial Secretary.

Auckland Acclimatisation District defined.

PLUNKET, Governor.

IN exercise and pursuance of the powers and authorities vested in me by "The Animals Protection Act, 1880," and the Acts amending the same, I, William Lee, Baron Plunket, the Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, do hereby appoint those parts of the said colony described in the Schedule hereto to be a district under and for the purposes of the said Act, and I do hereby declare that such district shall be known as the "Auckland Acclimatisation District."

SCHEDULE.

AUCKLAND ACCLIMATISATION DISTRICT.

ALL that area comprised in the Counties of Rodney, Waitamata, Eden, Manukau, Coromandel, Thames, Ohinemuri, Raglan, Waikato, Waipa, Kawhia, Awakino, and Waitomo, and in that part of each of the Counties of Piako and West Taupo lying north of a right line extending south-westerly from the summit of Puwhenua Mountain, at the easternmost corner of Piako County, to the summit of Rangitoto Mountain.

As witness the hand of His Excellency the Governor, this tenth day of April, one thousand nine hundred and seven.

JOHN G. FINDLAY,
Colonial Secretary.

Chamois to be deemed Game.

PLUNKET, Governor.

IN exercise and pursuance of the powers and authorities vested in me by "The Animals Protection Act, 1880," I, William Lee, Baron Plunket, Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, do hereby declare that from and after the date hereof chamois (Rupicapra tragus) shall come within the operation of the said Act as fully and effectually as if they had been included in the Third Schedule thereto.

As witness the hand of His Excellency the Governor, this tenth day of April, one thousand nine hundred and seven.

JOHN G. FINDLAY,
Colonial Secretary.

Commissioner appointed to report upon "Surplus Lands" North of Auckland.

PLUNKET, Governor.

To all to whom these presents shall come, and to Robert Morrow Houston, Esquire, member of the House of Representatives, of Mangonui: Greeting.

WHEREAS prior to the proclamation of the British sovereignty over this colony a large number of persons made purchases of land from the Natives, which purchases were investigated by Commissioners, but such Commissioners could not recommend that a Crown grant be issued for any area exceeding a definite limit in respect of land so purchased: And whereas many of the said purchases exceeded the said limit, thereby leaving a difference in area between the land sold, or alleged to be sold, by the Natives, and the amount of land for which the Commission could recommend a grant to be issued, which surplus areas were then (and are now herein) called "surplus lands": And whereas the Imperial and colonial authorities decided that such "surplus lands" having been sold by the Natives ceased to be Native land, and that the same inured to the Crown: And whereas the Crown has sold and otherwise disposed of most of the said "surplus lands," but the Natives have always contended that such lands should have been returned to them, but such contention has never been admitted by the Crown: And whereas numerous petitions have been presented to Parliament by Natives stating that they no longer questioned the right in law of the Crown to take such lands, but that, as the Crown still held certain of the lands undisposed-of and unalienated by it, the Native claimants have requested that the "surplus lands" so undisposed-of by the Crown be returned to such of the Natives as would have been the owners thereof but for such sales as aforesaid: And whereas at various times petitions have been presented to Parliament by Hone Peti and others, praying for a return of the Puketotara Block, Bay of Islands; Wiremu te Teete and others, praying for a return of the Kapoai Block, Bay of Islands; Rawiri Hongi and others, praying for a return of an island on the Mangonui Coast, called Motuopao; Reihana Moeketanga and others, praying for a return of the Opua Block, Bay of Islands; Hapakuku and others, praying for a return of Waimamaku No. 2 Block, Hokianga County; Timoti Puhipi and others, praying for a return of the Tangonge Swamp, Mangonui County: And whereas the Native Affairs Committee of the said Parliament has from time to time, on the hearing of the petitions above set out, recommended that a Commission be set up to inquire into the matters specified in the said petitions and to report thereon: And whereas it is expedient that such a Commission be set up:

Now, therefore, I, William Lee, Baron Plunket, the Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, in exercise of the powers conferred by "The Commissioners Act, 1903," and its amendments, and of all other powers and authorities enabling me in that behalf, and acting by and with the consent of the Executive Council of the said colony, do hereby constitute and appoint you, the said Robert Morrow Houston, a Commission for the purpose of making an inquiry into the present position of the block or blocks of land or parts thereof undisposed-of by the Crown and described in the First Schedule hereto, and ascertaining which of the said lands are or are not "surplus lands" within the definition aforesaid; to inquire into all facts and circumstances attending the sale or disposition of any one or more of such said blocks of land or parts thereof; and to report upon the subject-matter of any one or more of the petitions described in the Second Schedule hereto; and, further, to inquire into and report into the state or condition of any alleged landless Natives, or Natives in poor circumstances, living in the districts within which such said lands are situate, and to report as to whether or not such last said Natives should be allowed to participate in the ownership of such last said lands; and generally to inquire into and report upon all matters and circumstances affecting the premises.

And for the better enabling you, the said Commission, to carry these presents into effect you are hereby authorised and empowered to make and conduct any inquiry under these presents at such times and places in the said colony as you deem expedient, with power to adjourn from time to time and from place to place as you think fit, and to call before you and examine on oath or otherwise, as may be allowed by law, such person or persons as you think capable of affording you information in the premises; and you are also hereby empowered to call for and examine all such books, documents, papers, plans, maps, or records as you deem likely to afford you the fullest information on the subject-matter of this inquiry, and to inquire of and concerning the premises by all lawful ways and means whatsoever. And, using all diligence, you are required to transmit to me, under your hand and seals, your report and recommendations not later than the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and seven. And it is hereby declared that these presents shall continue in full force and virtue although the inquiry may not be regularly continued from time to time or from place to place by adjournment. And, lastly, it is hereby further declared that these presents are issued under and subject to the provisions of "The Commissioners Act, 1903," and "The Commissioners Act Amendment Act, 1905."

FIRST SCHEDULE.

The following blocks of land in the Bay of Islands County (Puketotara, Kapoai, and Opua Blocks):—

Blocks.

Puketotara, Bay of Islands County.
Kapoai, Bay of Islands County.
Motuopao Island, on Mangonui Coast, Mangonui County.
Opua, Bay of Island County.
Piece of land between Waimamaku No. 2, Wairau and Waipoua, containing 1,000 acres, more or less, Hokianga County.
Tangonge, Mangonui County.