.gif)
Petition of the Federated Maori Assembly of New Zealand
The Federated Maori Assembly Empowering Bill
[ko te tohutoro i roto i te reo Māori]
The Federated Maori Assembly Empowering Bill.
An Act to empower the Maoris to enact Laws in respect of their own Properties.
Whereas under the Treaty of Waitangi, one thousand eight hundred and forty and also under a certain Imperial Act of date the thirtieth day of May, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two intituled "The Constitution Act of New Zealand," it was provided that the laws, customs, and usages of the inhabitants of New Zealand, so far as the same are not repugnant to the general principles of humanity, should be maintained for the government of themselves in all their relations to and dealings with each other and that particular districts should be set apart within which such laws, customs, or usages, should be observed: that it shall be lawful for Her Majesty, by any letters patent to be issued under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom, from time to time to make provisions for the purposes aforesaid, any repugnacy of any such native laws, customs, or usages to the law of England, or to any law, statute, or usage in force in New Zealand or in any part thereof in anywise notwithstanding: And whereas, at a meeting of the Federated Maori Assembly held at Waipatu, on the eleventh day of April, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-three, it was resolved that the New Zealand Parliament be petitioned to grant to the Maoris a Legislature of their own for the purpose of governing their affairs: And whereas the Maoris are desirous of standing upon equal footing with the white people as far as perfect liberty of dealing with their lands is concerned: And whereas a petition signed by twenty-one thousand nine hundred of the chief people of New Zealand has been presented to the Parliament of New Zealand, praying for an independent Legislature for the Maori people, to be called the Federated Maori Assembly: And whereas all the laws affecting the Maoris and their lands, especially the Native Land Court Acts, have proved unsatisfactory and unjust; and it is expedient, in order to relieve the Maoris of their grievances, to abolish the said laws, and to make other provisions in lieu thereof.
page 3
Be It Therefore Enacted by the General Assembly of New Zealand in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
| 1. | The Short Title of this Act is "The Federated Maori Assembly Empowering Act, 1893." |
| 2. | In this Act the word "Maori" means an aboriginal native of New Zealand, and includes half-castes and their descendants by Natives. |
| 3. | The said Federated Maori Assembly may from time to time appoint District Committees for the purpose of administering Native lands. |
| 4. | The said Federated Maori Assembly may from time to time, by notice duly published, empower the said District Committees (which shall not exceed seven in number) to deal with all Native lands which may be required to be administered. |
| 5. | The Federated Maori Assembly shall make rules for the guidance of the said District Committees. |
| 6. | Each District Committee shall sign and seal all their orders and judgments, and forward them to the Premier of the Federated Maori Assembly, together with their minute-books, who shall forward the same to the Governor for his approval, and the issue of warrants for certificates of title, according to the orders of the said Committees. |
| 7. | All appeals against any of the decisions of the said District Committees must be lodged with the Premier of the Federated Maori Assembly, together with an application setting out all the grounds for the appeal, within three months of the delivery of the judgment appealed against. |
| 8. | The Premier of the Federated Maori Assembly shall, if no appeal is made within the said three months, forward the Committee's decision to the Governor for his approval. Where no objection or appeal is so made, neither the Federated Maori Assembly nor the Governor may interfere with the decisions of the said Committees. |
| 9. | The Maoris' right to deal with their lands shall be placed upon the same footing as the European subjects of the Queen. |
| 10. | On and after the passing of this Act the Native Land Court shall cease to be; but what might have been done theretofore by the said Court shall not be affected hereby. |