NATIVE AFFAIRS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 111, 10 April 1934, Page 7

NATIVE AFFAIRS

WORK OF COMMISSION. EVIDENCE BY OFFICIALS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 10. The Native Affairs Commission commenced taking evidence at Wellington this morning, that being the first heard being mainly of an historical nature. ' * The members of the Commission which will hear evidence at Auckland, Rotorua, and Gisborne are Mr Justice Smith (chairman), Messrs J. Alexander (Auckland), D. G. Johnston (Wellington), and L. W. Nelson (Whangarei). Mr R. H. Quilliam, instructed by tht Government, appears to assist the Commission and Mr G. P. Finlay appears for the Native people. Mr Quilliam to-day said that it was proposed to call the Under-Secretary of the Native Department, who _ would present a statement explaining in general terms the constitution of the Department, the Native Trust Office, and the different branches of the Government concerned with Native administration. A Native trustee and one or two witnesses from the Native Trust Office would also be called and a statement also would be submitted by the Controller and Auditor-General whose last report led to the inquiry. The Auditor-General is also to present a file dealing with particular matters to which he considered it desirable that attention should be drawn. _ The witnesses would be a representative of the Treasury, the Public Service Commissioner, and the deputy chairman of the Unemployment Board.