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Show 24 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS the board is to investigate, determine, report, and describe the lands within the boundaries of any lands granted or confirmed to the Pueblo Indians by the United States or any prior sovereignty, title to which the board shall find not to have been extinguished m accord-ance with the provisions of this act. It is required that the board shall be unanimous in all decisions by which it is determined that the Indian title has been extinguished. The board is also required to report upon each pueblo as a separate unit and to file one copy of the report with the Attorney General, one with the Secretary of the Interior, and one with the Board of Indian Commissioners. Upon the completion of each report the Attorney General is required to institute a suit to quiet the title to the lands described therein as Indian lands, the Indian title to which is determined by the report not to have been extinguished. Since 1848 titles to these Pueblo lands have been in dis ute. A way is now provided through the legis-lation recently enacte fi to provide for an early and definite settlement of all Indian and non-Indian claims to these lands. The law is eminently fair to the Indians and also to ,the settlers. If the board finds that the United States Government was ne ligent in not bring-ing proper suits to recover lands for Indians, % y reason of which nonaction such lands have definitely been lost to the Indians, com-pensation is to be made to the Pueblos for the value of such lands; the same may be said where any water rights have been lost to the Indians by reason of nonaction of the Federal Government. The Pueblo Lands Board now has under consideration the preparation of rules and regulations under which the act will be administered and will no doubt at an early date begin its activities in the field and make the preliminary investigations necessary to a h a 1 determina-tion of land titles between the Indians and non-Indian claimants. FIVE CIVILIZED TRIBES Progress has been made toward the closing out of the tribal affairs of the Five Civilized Tribes. In the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations the remaining tribal property is valued at $12,986,292.51 ; in the Creek Nation at $130,142.48 and in the Seminole Nation at $30,000. No tribal property remains to be disposed of in the Chero-kee Nation. In view of the near approach of the winding up of the tribal affairs and the desire of the tribes for an accounting, and that they should be allowed to rosecute such tribal claims as they might have against the United gtates, le 'slation was obtained con-ferring upon the United States Court of Elaims jurisdiction to hear, consider, and determine any and all legal and equitable claims which the Five Civilized Tribes might have against the United Statespnder any treat8 or agreement, or under any act of Congress relating to Indian a airs. ~rovided such claims had not theretofore been ad-judicated or detkmined. There are now approximatel 17,500 persons of these tribes of one-half or more Indian blood w g ose allotments &re restricted against alienation. Their individual affairs must be carefully administered to prepare them to make their way unassisted b the Government, pire in 1931. since, under existing law, the restricted period oP t hi.s class will ex- |