NATIVE AFFARIS COMMISSION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 4417, 10 November 1934, Page 3

NATIVE AFFARIS COMMISSION.

LABOUR’S CENSURE MOTION 7 DEFEATED. The debate on the administration of Native Affairs was concluded in the House of Representatives on Thursday night with a division on the Labour motion that Cabinet should accept collective responsibility for the situation in the Native Department revealed by the report of the Royal Commission. The motion, which had been accepted by the Government as involving a noconfidence issue, was rejected by 36 votes to 22, The former Native Minister, Sir Apirana Ngata, left the Chamber when the vote was taken.

The speaikers included the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. G- W. Forbes, who quoted authorities to show that a Minister must accept all responsibility for what happened in his department. Mr Forbes pointed out that the Government had always met any requests for improvements in the administration of the Native Department. The legislation and administrative changes recommended by the commission would all .be made effective. The former Native Minister’s offer , of co-op-eration waj greatly appreciated. The deputy-leader, of the Labour Party, Mr P. Fraser, who followed the Prime Minister, said that Sir Apirana Ngata was not on trial, but the Administration of which he was a member. He claimed that Cabinet had not exercised the control it should have "exercised. The report contained evidence of peculation, misappropriation, forgery, and fraud, and although the Government was conversant with what was going on it failed to take action.

Voting on the motion moved by Mr Savage was as follows: — For the Motion (22) : Armstrong, Barnard; iCarr, Chapman, Coleman, Fraser, Howard, Jones, Jordan, Langs'tone, Lee, McCombs, McKeen Mason, W. Nash, O’Brien, Parry, Richards, Spvage, Schramm, Semple, Wilkinson. Against the Motion (36) : Ansell, Bitchener, Bodkin, Broadfoot, Burnett, Campbell, Clinkard, Coates, Cobbe, Connolly, Dickie, Field, Forebs, Hamilton, Hargest, Harris, Healy, Henare, Holland, Holyoake, Jull, Lye, McLeod, Macmillan, Macpherson, J. N. and W. W. Massey, Murdoch, J. A. Nash, Poison, Reid, Smith, Stuart, Te Tomo, Veiteh and Young.