Oct. 28.]

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

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may at any time remove any such Secretary and appoint some other fit person in the place of the Secretary so removed.
(2.) The Secretary of the Board shall be deemed to be the servant of the Board and shall receive such salary or other remuneration as the Board, with the approval of the Native Minister, shall determine.
(3.) The Secretary shall have all such powers and duties as the Board shall determine, and he shall at all times conform to the direction of the Board in that behalf.
20. The Board may from time to time appoint such other officers and workmen of the Board as shall be found necessary and expedient for the proper carrying out of the business of the Board.

ACCOUNTS.

21. All moneys received by the Board shall be acknowledged on a printed form of receipt. A counterfoil of each receipt shall be retained by the Board, and shall be countersigned by some person (other than the receiving officer), who shall certify the same as a true copy of the receipt issued.
22. Proper books of accounts and other books shall be kept by the Board, in which shall be entered correct records of all moneys received and paid out by the Board.
23. Receipts shall be numbered consecutively, and the number of each receipt shall be quoted in the cash-book and other books of accounts kept by the Board.
24. All books and vouchers shall, on request, be produced to the Under-Secretary or to any Inspector appointed by the Native Minister to examine the same.
25. All such accounts shall be subject to audit by the Audit Office.
26. (1.) At the close of each year ending on the 31st day of March, the Board shall cause to be prepared a statement showing the total receipts and expenditure of the Board during that year, together with a balance-sheet showing its assets and liabilities.
    (2.) Within thirty days after the close of each such year, the Board shall transmit or cause to be transmitted two copies of the aforesaid statement of receipts and expenditure and balance-sheet under the seal of the Board to the Controller and Auditor-General, who shall examine and certify to the correctness thereof, and transmit one copy thereof, certified as aforesaid, to the Under-Secretary.

ADMINISTRATION OF FUNDS.

27. (1.) All moneys received by the Board shall be paid into the Bank of New Zealand at Rotorua (or such other branch of that bank as the Native Minister may direct) to the credit of an account to be called the Tuwharetoa Trust Board Account.
    (2.) No moneys shall be paid out of such account except by cheque signed by two members of the Board and countersigned by an officer of the Public Service to be appointed in that behalf by the Native Minister.
28. All reasonable expenses properly incurred by the Board may be paid out of moneys in its account.
29. Members of the Board shall be paid for their attendance at all regular and special meetings of the Board to which they shall be duly summoned to attend, the sum of f1 (one pound) for each and every day of attendance at such meetings, together with actual and reasonable travelling-expenses in going to and returning from such meetings as follows : Fares actually payable by public conveyance (whether by rail, steamer, coach, or tram) by the most direct route; provided that, where any such public conveyance is not available, or available only at greater cost, either (1) the expenses attaching to a member's use of his own horse or vehicle, at a rate not exceeding 8d. per mile counted both ways, together with actual garage or stabling expenses, not exceeding 5s. for each night that a horse or vehicle has to be kept from home, or (2) fares actually paid for motor-car or other special conveyance.
30. If and whenever the Board desires to borrow money pursuant to the authority in that behalf conferred by the said section, it shall forward to the Under-Secretary a statement showing the purpose for which the money is proposed to be borrowed, the amount of money to be borrowed, the interest to be paid, and the particulars of the expenditure to be undertaken.
31. If any question shall arise as to the expenditure of any money by the Board, or as to the proportion in which any benefits shall be allocated amongst the respective hapus entitled thereto, or as to whether any project resolved upon by a public meeting of the members of the Tuwharetoa Tribe should be undertaken by the Board, any person aggrieved by the Board's decision thereon may apply to the Native Minister to decide the matter at issue. The Native Minister may thereupon decide the question in dispute or what is right and proper to do under the circumstances, and shall direct the Board accordingly, and the Board shall thereupon act upon such direction.

C. A. JEFFERY,
Acting Clerk of the Executive Council.

Commission to inquire into and report as to Grievances alleged by Maoris.

CHARLES FERGUSSON, Governor-General.
To all to whom these presents shall come, and to the Honourable Sir WILLIAM ALEXANDER SIM, Kt., of Dunedin, and to the Honourable VERNON HERBERT REED, M.L.C., of Paihia, Bay of Islands, and to WILLIAM COOPER, Esquire, of Gisborne, Native Associate: Greeting!
WHEREAS under the powers conferred by the New Zealand Settlements Act, 1863, the New Zealand Settlements Act Amendment, 1864, the New Zealand Settlements Amendment and Continuance Act, 1865, and the New Zealand Settlements Acts Amendment Act, 1866 (hereinafter collectively referred to as “the said Acts”), Proclamations and Orders in Council were from time to time made pursuant to which lands therebefore held by Natives became Crown lands freed and discharged from the title, interest, or claim of such Natives by reason of the fact that such Natives or some of them had been engaged in rebellion against Her then Majesty’s authority, the purpose of the said Acts being (as recited in the said New Zealand Settlements Act, 1863) that it was necessary that adequate provision should be made for the permanent protection and security of the well-disposed inhabitants of both races, for the prevention of future insurrection or rebellion, and for the establishment and maintenance of Her Majesty’s authority and of law and order throughout the colony, the best and most effectual means of attaining those ends being the introduction of a sufficient number of settlers able to protect themselves and preserve the peace of the country:
And whereas provision was made by the said Acts for compensation to be granted to all such persons as had any title, interest, or claim to any land taken under the said Acts; excluding from any such compensation the classes of persons defined in section five of the New Zealand Settlements Act, 1863; such compensation being ascertained in the manner provided by the said Acts by the awards of Compensation Courts or by the Government, and being granted either in money, or in scrip, or by grant of land:
And whereas numerous claims for compensation under the said Acts were made and dealt with in favour of such Natives having title to the lands taken under the said Acts as were proved to have been either loyal to the Crown or neutral, and consequently not within the classes excluded by the said section five of the said Act of 1863. But many Natives now allege that they (or Natives under whom they claim living at the time of the passing of the said Acts) were loyal to the Crown or neutral and were entitled to or interested in some of the lands so taken, and have not received compensation therefore. And from time to time before and since the repeal of the said Acts petitions or claims have been presented to the Government or to Parliament, and some of such claims have been inquired into and dealt with:
And whereas it is alleged on behalf of those Natives entitled or interested in the lands so taken under the said Acts who (or Natives under whom they claim) were actually in rebellion against Her Majesty or otherwise within the classes excluded from compensation by the said section five of the Act of 1863, that the confiscation of their title and interest was (a) excessive in quantity or (b) improper in the inclusion in the confiscation of land which should properly have been reserved for Native purposes:
And whereas for many years past complete peace has existed between the two races, and it is deemed desirable to review the whole position created by and consequent upon the said Acts, and to cause inquiry to be made as hereafter provided with the object of enabling Parliament to remedy such grievances as may appear now to have just and reasonable foundation:
Now, therefore, I, General Sir Charles Fergusson, Baronet, Governor-General of the Dominion of New Zealand, in exercise of the powers conferred by the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1908, and of all other powers and authorities enabling me in this behalf, and acting by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the said Dominion, do hereby constitute and appoint you, the said Sir William Alexander Sim, Vernon Herbert Reed, and William Cooper to be a Commission to inquire into and report upon the following matters:—

1. Whether, having regard to all the circumstances and necessities of the period during which Proclamations and Orders in Council under the said Acts were made and confiscations effected, such confiscations or any of them exceeded in quantity what was fair and just, whether as penalty for rebellion and other acts of that nature, or as providing for protection by settlement as defined in the said Acts.