COST OF THE NATIVE DEPARTMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 167, 18 July 1887, Page 8

COST OF THE NATIVE DEPARTMENT.

The Government Reply to

..barges

We are indebted to the Hon, J. A. Tole, Minister of Justice, for copies of tho following telegrams addressed to him by the Hon. J. Ballance, Minister of Nativo Affairs :—

"Vukers's letter a tissue of misrepresentation. The McLean period, wibli which comparison made shows suppression of number of salaries and excludes enormous subdepartments (.cattered over North Island, doing work now centred in Wellington. SincepresenbMinistiyinofficeL2,ooomedical assistance aud charitable aid formerly on annual appropriations now charged to civil list. Four clerk interpreters in head office being trained and about to be attached to Commissioners under vote taken for Native Land Administration Act, leaving office with less assistance than for long time, though at present a rush of Nabive Land Court business. The total expenditure civil list and appropriations combined much less than in previous years. Financial statement showed, without taking into account Fox's vote, appropriation of L3OOO less than previous year. Shall send you later the quarter's expenditure, showing we have kept well within bhe vote. In fact, have ascertained that tho expenditure, Civil, District, Native, and Land Court appmtions will be actually 1.0000 less than expenditure last year on samo purposes, through bhe changes made in getting rid of useless and highly paid officers, and reducing travelling expenses, etc. I have always compared favourably native expenditure, including oivil list, with that of predecessors. All this is capable of verification, and you can make fullest use.—J. Bal__vxce."

"The following returns have been furnished showing appropriation for the following periods of Civil list for natives, Native Department, Native Land Court:— 1883-4, L 30.118; 1886-7 (exclusive of Fox vote of L 2.000), L 27.830 ; 1887-8, L 24.828. The Treasury return of last quarter's expenditure is L 5,312, or at rate of L 21,248 per annum. With changes now going on by way of reduction the total for year will nob exceed £20,000. The bulk of the expenditure is for Land Court work which is revenue-producing and cannot be materially reduced below present amount about L 1,200. Tho expenditure on Land Courb last year was nearly L 20.000. Reburn furnished of European officers in Native Department. Ist. July 1869, shows 34, costing L 8972. Present number of officers corresponding, 15, costing L3llO. Annual return expenditure 1569-70, Native Deparbmenb gives total L 33,299, and of this amounb only L6IBB was for Native Land Court. The Courb in two-years ending March last put bhrough 3£ million acres. Hansard vol. 55, page 460, gives Mr Bryce asking. '' Mr Bryce pointed oub bhab lasb year L 2,000 had been bransferred from Civil lisb bo bhis class, bub bins year bhere was no provision made for bhab on bhe esbimates Had the item gone back to the Civil list ? Mr Ballanbe replied that in consequence of savings which had been made in the Civil list, last year was now made to bear the sum of L 2,000 for medical officers, &c." This shows how savings on the Civil list have been used by transfer from appropriations. As a fact the savings ,in native department this year will be equal to £8,000 on last year ab leasb. The exbra clerks engaged by bhe day for exbra sessional work and usual arrears in consequence of session have almosb finished.—J. Balance.