NATIVE AFFAIRS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1934, Page 2

NATIVE AFFAIRS

EVIJIENCE BEFOKE COMMISSION... (Per Press Association Copyriytii -) WELLINGTON, June 20. Evidence from the Deputy Native Trustee, Air H E. King, on the administration of the settlement reserves, was heard by the Native Affairs Commission to-day. He said it would not be a good proposition to have a separate (account for AVest Coast reserves. If that principle was adopted separate accounts would have to be set up tor all other reserve .accounts and the money might be lying idle. It was better finance to have (a common fund and have the money invested.

Tho first delay .in payments, to the beneficiaries occurred in 1931. ‘The distribution was due in June of that year, but .a difference arose as .to whether the lessees of land were on-.-

titled to a reduction of rentals. , As soon as the opinion of the SolieitorC choral, that the reductions under the National Adjustment Act applied was ■Obtained, a distiibution wa s made. The next distribution was due, in December, but dellayed through no fault of the office. A number of applications for relief had been received, ami the flow of current cash into the office had practically stopped. That prevented them from making a full distribution in December. They had held a number of loed body debentures at the time, but these had been unsaleable. Eventually they had obtained some money Irani the Treasury, but this was sufficient to pay out only one-third of the credit, balance due to beneficiaries. For distribution in June, 1935. Cabinet 'had approved of a; .grant of £IO,OOO, but the Treasury would not put it through. Tu the end, however, they wore able to raise the money, and by September, 1933, they were able tr> bring the payments pip to *ate. A, further distribution bad been made in December last, and there wins another one .starting, which would include all the payments made into the office on March 31.

Arced wkotiier lie thought compensation should be, paid because of the delay in .payments, Mr King said that once the beneficiaries had been told of the difficulties which had 'arisen, the majority of them had been satisfied.

Mr King said the complaint that the reserves were not leased to the best advantage showed a complete lade of knowledge of the position. As far 'as native reserves were concerned, they were all subject to leases when the Administration was transferred to the Native -Trust 'Office, and as these leases had perpetual right of renewal, the Native Trust could not do anything to alter tho existing rights on current leases. The method of assessing rent was fixed by statute, and could not be departed from. Complaints which had been made were in general terms. If

reference was .given to a specific instance" where;,'the lands' had not been leased to' bi-si. advantage opportunity would be afforded of referring to the official documents to set. out the actual position. AVhen the opportunity arose for leasing privately owned land the usual procedure -Was to get the land inspected by an official,, supervisor who would recommend what rent should bo reserved and also any particular contents. which ought to bu brought, into a lease.

AA’iien it was considered advisable to do so lands were leased by public tender. Every lease outside the, reserves' had to be confirmed by the Native Land Court, thus if the land •had * not been leased to -the best advantage, the Court which was a reviewing authority was responsible fo v for such <n stale of affairs.