NATIVE AFFAIRS COMMISSION

Evening Star, Issue 21722, 17 May 1934, Page 3

NATIVE AFFAIRS COMMISSION

FURTHER EVIDENCE ' ■ [Per Unitb» Press Association.! ROTORUA, May 16. George Orr, at one time supervisor of the Ray of I*laity• schcines, .said ho had inspected the Horohoro and Tikitero .schemes near Rotorua. He considered Tikitero fair land with reasonable prospects of being successfully farmed provided care was exercised in the management, but he did not think the Horohoro country suitable for dairying in any circumstances. John Thomas Cunningham, clerk of the Waiariki Land Board, corroborated the evidence of the registrar in regard to the shortage in the staff. He recognised that it was not a proper procedure for him to draw the wages sheets and also pay the men, but Ibis was unavoidable. He bad expressed his objection to the practice in the office. He bad accepted the time sheets sent in to hint. He had no knowledge of any false time sheets. He admitted that lie had received a note from Rodgers, manager of the Maketu scheme, referring to alterations in one of the time sheets, but this had been because the time sheet had been signed three days before the men finished work in order to enable them to draw their pay early for Christmas. The fact that one or two of the men did not turn up at work next day necessitated the time sheet being altered. The men- who stayed away afterwards made up the time. Witness said the registrar had approved of his action in handing over unemployment wages to a man named Asher at Tokaanu for payment to the men. lie did not consider Asher a person unauthorised to pay wages. Kvidcncc that an improved system with regard to stock returns had been Introduced was given by Arthur M‘Jnf.yrc, who was recently transferred from the head office to Rotorua. When the commission adjourned L. Brown, farm supervisor, was giving evidence in regard to the various schemes.