NATIVE AFFAIRS COMMISSION

Evening Star, Issue 21718, 12 May 1934, Page 17

NATIVE AFFAIRS COMMISSION

AUDIT INSPECTOR CROSSEXAMINED MANY POINTS CLEARED UP [Per United Press Association.] ROTORUA, May 12. Tliis morning's sitting of the Native Affairs Commission was occupied in cross-examination of Joseph Austin Pctrc, Government Audit Inspector, who on Friday strongly criticised many aspects of the administration of the laud development schemes in Rotorua district. Witness reiterated his opinion that it was wrong procedure to allow the foreman who prepared the time-sheets, also to pay out the wages, or to allow the clerk who drew the wages cheque to make the payments to the men. Air Finlay pointed out that witness had already said that he thought the foremen trustworthy, hut the _ chairman interjected that it was quite obvious that the system exposed men to temptation. Air Qnilliam: I think that is proved by the Goldsmith case, with which we are all familiar.

His Honour: The system cannot be justified. We have been told that a different system is used in paying forestry employees, and can see no reason why that system should not he used in the Native Department. Witness agreed that recent increases in the staff were improving the system of issue of stores. Ho admitted that it might have been possible to obtain copies of tbc missing order forms from Wellington, but this would have meant long delay and inconvenience, arid he was entitled to expect that all the relevant documents would bo available in the Rotorua office. Witness said ho now agreed that the thirty-one sheep first reported as being lost from a draft of 400 on the road between Rotorua and Alaketn were in reality a loss on a draft of 2,582. Air Finlay said the Auditor-General now admitted that this was the Alaketn scheme’s proportion of the total assessed loss on sheep from the • East Coast. With regard to allegations concerning the arrangement of contracts without authority, witness admitted that in some cases Tai Mitchell received direct instructions from the Native Alinister on these matters. He also agreed that some of the allowances made to the scheme employees at Alaketn had been personally authorised by the Alinister. He admitted that he had _ been suspicious of Alitchell, but said he had not consulted him because he was never in the office when wanted. He agreed that lack of staff placed the registrar of the Waiariki Land Board in a difficult position, and that unsuccessful efforts had been made by the registrar, to have the staff increased. Air Finlay contended that the intimation given to Parliament by the Native Minister that he intended to carry out a general tidy-up of the Alaketn scheme was authority for the erection of the fencing which Petre claimed had been erected around private property. His Honour said this was not an authority, and could not be accepted as such by the commission. An adjournment until Alonday morning was taken.