NATIVE AFFAIRS INQUIRY

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 13 April 1934, Page 6

NATIVE AFFAIRS INQUIRY

DISCLOSURES BV AUDIT USUAL RULES DISREGARDED MINISTER’S TOLL ACCOUNT. SUM OF £7Bl FOR, YEAR. WELLINGTON, April 12, Statements that development scheme stores had been used for the improvement- of private properties, tnat, out ol v total of 27,492 ewes purchased in the Rotorua district- no fewer than A 530 were unaccounted for, tnat unem.oyment money, had been paia Maoris who were not entitled to relief and that sums up to £401) had been paid to well-to-do- farmers for ploughing and grassing their own lancts were made in the evidence given to-day he fore the Royal Commission on native affairs. " Tile principal witness was the Comp, troller and Auditor-General, Colonel, G. F. C Campbell, as direct result ol whose last annual report to Parliament the commission was appointed. In. evidence given oil oath he .said that in the opinion of the Audit Office the audit difficulties would seem, to have been the result of the system adopted by tli© Native Minister, which was to assume control of administrative matters and issue- instructions frequently by telephone direct to local subordinate officers, instead of through the department. He .stated that the Minister’s 101 l account for one year .came to £7Bl, which was greater than the amount voted bv Parliament to cover the cost of tho toll calls of all Ministers of the Crown. Cojonel Campbell gave several instances of liow the usual rules of stores accounting had been disregarded and said it was not surprising that- the department was unable to comply with the audit requirements. He stated that a good deal had been said regarding the necessity for studying the psychology of ;the Maori when considering the expenditure of public money, but pointedout that due regard for Maori psychology was not necessarily opposed to effieienev ;m administration a.ncf erronomy in spending.

MINISTER’S' STATEMENT. Complying with the desire expressed by the Commission yesterday Sir Apivuna Ngata, Native Minister, to-clay’ presented a statement- in reply to a number of questions put to him. Dealing with, the main object- of consolidation schemes he quoted as follows from his statement on native land c evclopment presented to Parliament in 1931: “It may he added that consolidation further enables a complete stocktaking to be made of native land titles wit-hip the scope of a scheme and their classification for purposes of local taxation, and finally .organises, the title in such a way that it is available for any purpose owners may elect to adopt. ‘‘Consolidation is the most comprehensive method of approximating the goal of individual or, at least, _ compact family ownership,” the Minister continued. “Having achieved this goal; which is the immediate object of the '■ousolidation scheme, the individual or family may sell, lease or farm the now compacted and defined holding. “The policy was notconceived necessarily as a preliminary’ to land develop, ment, for the latter did not come into existence as a matter of State policy until 1929. while- the former was instituted by the Native Land Act in 1909. The difficulties of a communal title are stated briefly in the earner portions of the paper quoted from and the consolidation of title is given as of the devices adopted to surmount them. CONSOLIDATION. PLAN. “It is my considered opinion,’ Sii Apirana, Ngata. said, “than consolidation of the interests pf individual .Maoris or families in compact areas may be undertaken as a preliminary vo development., or /proceed .side by side with development, or follow development without any difficulties that cannot ho surmounted, and that- the ••orrect policy- to follow must be dictated by the facts of each case and with due regard to the mental make-up of each Maori community concerned. The ultimate object must be the same —- separate holdings, in economic areas with fenceable boundaries capable or profitable utilisation by the iiuli■'idiiat or the family.” Explaining the intention of legislation dealing with native land settlement Mir Apirana said the United Government took office in 1928 with land settlement a,s one of the. major planks of, its policy-, as applied to European, including Grown lands and native lands. The then Minister of Lands introduced the Land Act, 1929, which in section 6 provided for development of Crown lands, the policy being to prepare suitable areas by clearing or cultivation and by the .provision of fencing, building and a water supply if necessary and road access before selection. The Minister was armed with extensive powers exercisable on the recommendation of the Development Board. The wisdom of having sueli a hoard was

much debated at the time. When the Native Land Bill was finally presented to Parliament in the same session it was decided to eliminate the board, m the corresponding development provision, a step which was approved by both’ the native affairs committee and Parliament. POWERS MUST BE ELASTIC. “Native lands,” the Minister added, “have ascertained beneficial owners with rights that cannot be disregarded and with strong views regarding their control and management. The Native Department must serve their interests and use their labour to develop the human material in the course of developing the land, and regard the development- of. that material as its supreme job. “The general plan may be conceived and laid down, but those, responsible for its execution must he prepared to vary and adjust it to the circumstances iif each Maori community, for no two are alike. ,Tn the circumstances the powers of the controlling authority, be it Minister of board, must be elastic and extensive, but they cannot be absolute as in the case of Crown lands.” Mr Michael Joseph Lawless, registrar of the Aotea Maori Roai-d, and forinerlv an account in the head office of the Native Department, gave evidence regarding the staff shortage. The head office, he said, also was cramped for accommodation. For two years the whole acounts staff of the head office was instructed to work overtime for three nights a week. This, together with the cramped office, was a bar to efficient service.