REPORTS ACTED ON

Northern Advocate, 8 November 1934, Page 6

REPORTS ACTED ON

NEGLIGENCE DENIED PART PLAYED BY CABINET COMMENT OF MR. COATES , [From Our Parliamentary Special.] WELLINGTON, This Day. “I am not one of those who tonight, or at any other time, will question the commission’s report,” said the Minister of Finance, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, when speaking on the report of the Native Affairs Commission. He went on to give the history of the action taken by the Government from 1932 onwards, with the object of x'ectifying the position by changing the methods of providing funds and vesting powers formerly exercised by the Native Minister on a board.

“Mr. Savage has made the charge that each member of the Government is equally responsible,” said Mr. Coates. “I admit that, but I do say there is a case to be made out for the Government.” -He added that it was on his own motion that the Public Accounts Commission passed the resolution recommending the setting up of the Royal Commission, since the committee was not even satisfied with the report of the Auditor-General. “Apart from any other consideration, apart from the feeling one has for the Maori race, for the ex-Minister or for anyone else, I am not going to try to find excuses,” added Mr, Coates. “I am prepared to say this Government can only be accused of neglect of duty when it can be proved that action was not taken immediately reports were received.”

The Auditor-General had already cleared the Government of any implications of any strictures contained in the commission’s report. The National Expenditure Commission had sat in 1932, and in the same year a large number of Native Department appropriations were taken from legislation and put on the estimates, so that they came under annual review. Appropriations under the Native Land Settlement Acts were dealt with in the same way. Steps were then taken by the Treasury and the Auditor-General to secure better control of the money, and legislation- was passed. In the following year the Native Purposes Act was amended, and in the same year the Native Land Settlement Board was set up* There was a chronological sequence of action.

Mr. Coates referred to an historical summary covering the Government’s actions through these years, and Mr. McKean interjected with the remark that he was not dealing with the commission’s report. “That is not the point,” replied Mr. Coates. “The point is, what action did the Government take on each report received _by it? If it can be shown that the Government has been neglectful in any matter at all, after information was received, by it, then the matter would be very serious. Does the commission’s report place any restrictions at all on the Government?”

Mr. Semple: “It does on you.” Mi*. Coates; “Yes, I will take all that when I come to it, and you may come into my electorate and take a shot at putting me out.”