New Zealand.

ANNO VICESIMO NONO

VICTORIÆ REGINÆ

No. 11.

ANALYSIS.

Title.

Preamble.

1.        Short Title.

2.        All persons of Maori race deemed natural-born subjects.

3.        All Courts of Law declared to have jurisdiction overpersons and property of the Maori people.

4.        Maori title to land determined according to custom of the Maori people.

5.        In actions involving questions of Maori title Judge before whom tried shall direct issues for trial before Native Lands Court.

An Act to declare that the Maoris shall be deemed to be natural-born subjects of Her Majesty and to declare that the jurisdiction of the Queen’s Courts of Law extends over the persons and pro- perties of all Her Majesty’s subjects within the Colony.

[2 6th September 1865.]

Preamble.

W HEREAS doubts have been raised whether certain persons of the Maori race are natural-born subjects of Her Majesty and whether Her Majesty’s Courts of Law within the Colony of New Zealand have jurisdiction in all cases touching the persons and property of the Maori people and it is expedient that all such doubts should be removed Be it therefore declared and enacted by the General Assembly of New Zealand in Parliament assembled and by the authority thereof as follows—

Short Title.

I. The Short Title of this Act shall be “The Native Rights Act 1865.”

All persons of Maori race deemed natural- born subjects.

II. Every person of the Maori race within the Colony of New Zealand whether born before or since New Zealand became a dependency of Great Britain shall be taken and deemed to be a natural-born subject of Her Majesty to all intents and purposes whatsoever.

All Courts of Law declared to have juris- diction oyer persons and property of the Maori people.

<III. The Supreme Court and all other Courts of Law within the Colony ought to have and have the same jurisdiction in all cases touching the persons and the property whether real or personal of the Maori people and touching the titles to land held under Maori Custom and Usage as they have or may have under any law for the time being in force in all cases touching the persons and property of natural-born subjects of Her Majesty.

Maori title to land de- termined according to custom of Maori people.

IV. Every title to or interest in land over which the Native Title shall not have been extinguished shall be determined according to the