OFFICIAL'S RESIGNATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14809, 12 October 1911, Page 8

OFFICIAL'S RESIGNATION.

THE CASE OF MR/ KEEFER.

NO UNDUE INTERFERENCE. {

[BT TELEGRAPH.—speciaI correspondent.]

Wellington. WcdnesJnr. Reference has been made in the House of Representatives to the resignation of Mr. A. Keefer, president of the Tairawhiti Maori Land Board. Attention was drawn by Mr. Herries (Tauranga) to the statement made by Mr.' Keefer, in announcing his resignation, and in replying to a question Sir James Carroll denied that there had been interference or dictation by the Department. The Maori land boards," the Minister added, "have important administrative functions, and in the exercise of these functions they are properly subject to general supervision by the Department. In this respect the relation between Maori land boards and the Under-Secretary for Native Affairs is very similar to that which exists between the Crown land boards and • the .UnderSecretary for Lands. This . supervision is absolutely necessary for the proper and, uniform administration of native lands, and I have no reason to believe that it has been exercised in any improper manner in the case of the Tairawhiti Maori Land Board." ,

Commenting on the reply, Mr. Jlerrles said it was rather peculiar that the president of the Board and the Minister should differ as to whether there had been interference with the former iris his judicial duties. So far as one could judge from the correspondence, there had been considerable interference. He hoped the Minister would lay on the table all papers relative to this resignation.

Sir James Carroll said that no doubt the opportunity would be seized to make a great deal out of very little. He was soiry to lose this officer, who had performed his duties honestly and fairly and with every despatch. " The Minister thought that Mr. Keefer had erred on the side of ultra-sensitiveness. There hadbeen no interference from the Departnien- ! tal point of view, and no interference with his judicial position. The question arose over a block of 42,000 acres, owned by 772 1 natives. There had been no subdivision or partition of the interest in this block, j The president of the Board granted applications for certain areas in the block.

Mr. Herries: It was within 'the law. Sir James Carroll said it was sometimes a question which part of the law should be carried out. Some 15 "consents" were given for an aggregate area of about 20,000 acres. It was suggested to the president of the Board by the Department that it would be well not to give these precedent consents until the land had been partitioned by the Court. This was the point of difference. The Department could not prevent the Board from doing as it had intended. All that the Department could do was to indicate the general policy which it thought should bo followed. The Minister laid the whole of the correspondence on the table.

Mr. Massey (Leader of the Opposition) said he was glad that the Minister had agreed to lay the papers on the table, and had admitted that Mr. Keefer was a good officer. If the Secretary of the Department in Wellington were permitted to interfere with the president of a Maori Land Board, he virtually took that official's place.