STAFF SHORTAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 147, 23 June 1934, Page 17

STAFF SHORTAGE.

NATIVE AFFAIRS.

HEAD OFFICE PROBLEMS.

WORKING "UNDER PRESSURE.

(By Telegraph. Press Association.)

WELLIXGT OX, this day.

Difficulties under which, the head office had been working for the past four or fivo years were described by Mr. 11. N. Jones, Chief Judge of the Native Land Court, and formerly Under-Secrc-tary of the Native Department, in evidence yesterday before the Native Affairs Commission. Witness stated tj.at during the period reviewed the whole staff had been forced to work back until late at night to cope with the tremendous pressure of duties. He admitted that shortage of staff had impaired the efficiency of the office. when asked who was to blame for tins state of affairs, witness said that he supposed lie himself was, as lie had been unable to get anything done. Property Purchase. Mr. E. H. Quilliam, counsel assisting the comnusison, asked Mr. Jones if life remembered writing to the Native Minister recommending the purchase of a property. In the letter he had stated tnat the farm supervisor of the district had inspected the property. Actually no report by the supervisor had been found oil the files afc-tlio Native Land Court. Witness: That information would be supplied to me. Mr. Quilliam: There is no letter that suggested anything of that kind, and the supervisor himself at Eotorua said he had nothing whatever to do with the purchase.. ". Witness: I must have been misled, then. Mr. Quilliam: How could you be misled ? Witness: The letter would be put beforo me by somebody in the office to sign. I would go through it to see if it was in order and then sign it. Mr. Quilliam: What does going through it mean? Would you look through the iiles for a report? I might explain that in vtyy many cases in connection with the purchase of land the iiles contain no reports of any kind. Witness: I am surprised to hear that. Mr. Quilliam: It rather suggests that your part in the Department was purely nominal. Back at Night. To Mr. G. P. Finlay, counsel for the nativo race, witness said the work of the office had been done under tremendous pressure. The staff had to work back almost every night until nine or ten o'clock. Ho himself had worked every night until 11 o'clock except on Saturdays and Sundays. .One of the •boys in the office had had a nervous breakdown. Mr. Finlay: How long did these conditions , continue ? Witness: They continued over the past three or four years. Mr. Finlay: What were the activities of the Minister at this time? Was he working easily or was he also working long hours?: j. £, '1 Witness: He was working long hours and attending 'to his' Parliamentary duties'tis wfell: V th' * ft f*i Mr. Finlay': The work of the Department was done under tremendous jpres-. sure by the whole staff ? . . Witness: Yes, we all tried' to do our "best, and I am satisfied "that all the officers as well as the typists did their best. The commission adjourned until Monday.