2574

Appointments in the Public Service.

Office of the Public Service Commissioner,
Wellington, 14th September, 1925.

THE Public Service Commissioner has made the following
appointments in the Public Service:

Harold Orlando Barker, Esq.,
to be Registrar of Marriages and of Births and Deaths for
the district of Wakatipu, as from the 29th August, 1925.

James Stuart Jordan, Esq.,
to be Registrar of Marriages and of Births and Deaths for
the district of Tokomairiro, as from the 1st September, 1925.

Joseph James Ryan, Esq.,
to be Registrar of Births and Deaths for the district of Drury
at Manurewa, as from the 5th September, 1925.

George Ernest Ironside, Esq., and
Clements Wilsden Newport, Esq.,
to be Inspectors for the purposes of the Shearers' Accommodation Act, 1919, as from the 9th day of September, 1925.

A. C. TURNBULL, Secretary.

Appointment of Commission of Inquiry.--Agricultural Banks
and Rural Credits abroad.

IT is hereby notified for public information that His
Majesty the King, acting by the Governor-General of
New Zealand, has been pleased to grant Letters Patent
under the Seal of the Dominion to Colonel J. J. Esson, C.M.G.,
and Messrs. P. H. Cox and W. J. Polson, appointing them a
Commission of Inquiry in the following terms:

Whereas it has been proposed that legislation should be
passed for the purpose of affording further or other financial
assistance to farmers than exists at present:

And whereas it is expedient that inquiry should be made
regarding the necessity or expediency of such proposed
legislation and the form thereof:

Now know ye that We, reposing special trust and confidence
in your knowledge, integrity, and ability, do hereby
constitute and appoint you, the said-

James Jacob Esson,
Percy Harper Cox, and
William John Polson,
to be a Commission to inquire into and report as to the
following matters, namely:-

1. The financial assistance afforded to farmers in countries
   and states of Europe, Egypt, and America, by means of
   land mortgage bonds, or through land credit associations,
   or in any other manner howsoever.

2. The legislation in force and the methods adopted by
   the Governments of such countries and states to afford such
   financial assistance as aforesaid.

3. The means by which such financial assistance as aforesaid
   is afforded to farmers, and in particular-
   (a.) The nature of the security given by farmers, the
   periods for which loans are advanced, the rates of
   interest payable, and the provisions for amortization
   of debt.
   (b.) The provisions for realization of securities in cases of
   default.
   (c.) The margin of security required, its sufficiency or
   otherwise, and the means adopted for valuing
   securities.
   (d.) The restriction or otherwise of loans to defined and
   limited purposes such as improvements to farms,
   additions, or purchases of stock, and the means
   by which any such restrictions are enforced.
   (e.) The extent to which members of any group of borrowers
   are liable for the default of any one of them.

4. The means by which moneys are raised for the purpose
   of affording such financial assistance as aforesaid, and in
   particular-
   (a.) The nature of the security upon which such moneys
   are raised, the periods for which such moneys are
   raised, the rates of interest payable, and the provisions
   made for repayment of capital.
   (b.) The denominations of bonds or other instruments of
   security, and the means of transfer and realization
   thereof.
   (c.) The extent to which such securities or the institutions
   issuing the same are subject to Government supervision.

(d.) The extent to which support is granted by the said
countries and states to such securities, or the institutions
issuing the same, by way of guarantee, or provision of
capital, or exemption from taxation, or otherwise howsoever.

5. The working results and the comparative advantages
   of the various methods of affording such financial assistance
   as aforesaid, and in particular-
   (a.) The extent to which the assistance afforded is made
   use of.
   (b.) The extent to which losses occur, and the incidence of
   such losses.
   (c.) The market value of securities upon which moneys for
   the purposes aforesaid are raised, and the fluctuations (if
   any) in such value.
   (d.) The relative success of the issue of securities by co-operative groups of farmers or landowners and by independent
   financial institutions.
   (e.) In the case of the issue of securities by independent
   financial institutions, whether it is essential or desirable
   that all persons borrowing should be shareholders of such
   institutions.
   (f.) How far it is advisable that members of any group of
   borrowers should be made liable for the default of any one
   of them.

6. The advisability of the adoption in the Dominion of New
   Zealand of one or more of such methods as aforesaid, and the
   modifications therein (if any) which the conditions of the
   Dominion require or experience shows to be desirable.

7. Generally any matters that may appear to you to be relevant
   to or connected with the matters included in the scope of this
   inquiry or of importance in considering the adoption in New
   Zealand of any such method of affording financial assistance
   to farmers.

And for the purposes aforesaid to visit, travel, and make
inquiries in such countries in Europe, Egypt, and America in
such manner and for such period as the Government of New
Zealand may from time to time direct.

And We do further appoint you, the said James Jacob
Esson, to be the Chairman of the said Commission.

And you are hereby authorized to conduct any inquiries
under these presents, at such times and places and as you deem
expedient, both in the Dominion of New Zealand and in such
countries in Europe, Egypt, and America as aforesaid, with
power to adjourn from time to time and place to place as you
think fit, and (in the Dominion or in any country by whose
laws you may be permitted so to do) to call before you and examine
on oath or otherwise such persons as you think capable of affording
you information as to the matters aforesaid, and to call for and examine
all such documents as you deem likely to afford you information on
any such matters, but so that you need not take such evidence on oath
unless in your opinion you so desire.

And, using all due diligence, you are required to report to His Excellency
the Governor-General of the Dominion of New Zealand, under your hands
and seals, not later than the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine
hundred and twenty-six, your opinion on the aforesaid matters.

And you are hereby further authorized to take into consideration, for the
purposes of your inquiry and report, any information which the Government
of any country or state, or of any province or other subordinate jurisdiction,
or any officers or persons acting under any such Government or subordinate
jurisdiction, may of their good pleasure cause to be supplied to you relative
to the inquiries aforesaid.

And you are hereby strictly charged and directed that you shall not at any
time publish or otherwise disclose, save to His Excellency the Governor-General
in pursuance of these presents or by his direction, the contents or purport of
any report so made or to be made by you.

And it is hereby declared that the powers and authorities conferred on you
by these presents may be exercised by any two or more of you.

And it is hereby further declared that these presents shall continue in force
although the inquiry is not regularly continued from time to time or from
place to place.

J. G. COATES, Prime Minister.

28th August, 1925.

No. 64

Scheme of Consolidation of Native Land confirmed.

In the matter of section 6 of the Native Land Amendment
and Native Land Claims Adjustment Act, 1923.

NOTICE is hereby given that a scheme of consolidation
dated the 22nd day of August, 1925, dealing with Ahikouka
No. 1 and other blocks as set out in the said scheme having
been prepared by the Native Land Court in accordance with
the above-mentioned Act, and submitted under the seal of
the said Court to the Native Minister for his