I have the honour to report that the Native Affairs Committee held its final meeting yesterday morning.

Including the 47 petitions held over from last session, the Committee had before it 154 petitions. Of these, 64 were fully considered and reported on; the remaining 90 are unavoidably held over. A list of the unconsidered petitions is appended hereto.

The following Bills were referred to the Committee and duly reported on, viz.: The Native Reserves Act Amendment Bill, and the Maori Lands Administration Bill.

In connection with a number of petitions relating to the last-named important measure a large amount of evidence was taken, which has been printed, and will appear in the Appendices to the Journals. (See I.–3A.)

The under-noted papers were also referred to the Committee for consideration, and I am directed to report that there is no reason to recommend any interference with the decisions of the Validation and Native Land Courts contained therein:—