MAORIS ON LAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21844, 5 July 1934, Page 14

MAORIS ON LAND

DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS MINISTER'S EVIDENCE PURCHASES OF STOCK QUESTION OF STAFFING [nv telegraph—press association! WELLINGTON, Wednesday the Native Affairs Commission to-day the Native Minister, Sir Apirana Ngata, dealt with tho AN ilsoti stock purchases. Do outlined the reasons for the purchase of stock through .Mr. ; W llson, stating that otlici purchases had been unsatisfactory. For a considerable time the arrangement with Mr. Wilson operated satissaid the Ministor. Finally, however, Mr. Wilson sold the department one line of 200 heifers at a price which witness thought was too high and ho determined to ceaso dealing with Mr. Wilson. Regarding a line of bulls the Minister said he telephoned Mr. Wilson, who quoted 15 guineas. The price seemed to bo rcasonablo as it coincided with the amount allowed in the ledger, and in addition it was much below the prices the department had previously paid, among others, to the Agric ull ural 'Department. "That Mr.. Wilson bought at 10 guineas or thereabouts and sold to the department at 15 guineas I did not know until Audit drew attention to the fact," said the Minister. "This was a breach of the spirit of the arrangement I made with Mr. Wilson for he was to get the market price and no more." The Minister added that from what he had since learned it seemed clear that Mr. Wilson was afforded in respect of stud stock an opportunity to inflate his prices ivhich he did not fail to 'seize.. A Property Transaction . Situated as he (the Minister) was when he was dealing with Mr. Wilson, the arrangement seemed to him to be advantageous in that it offered, tlie best opportunity of acquiring well-chosen stock at market rates. Dealing with the lies property purchase, the. Minister said he knew nothing of tho transaction more than the file disclosed. The financial position of the Waiariki Land Board at the time was sound,- and it was generally known that Tiliip-Tonga was causing the board anxiety by reason of bush sickness and the board was looking for healthy country. The Minister said the first he knew of the purchase specifically was when Mr. Wright telegraphed him at Opnnake. Judge Holland also telegraphed him concerning the purchase. The Minister later spoke to Mr. Tai Mitchell and gave him a message for Mr. Holland, which was on record. Any consent was at that time regarded as little more than formal, having regard to the financial position and the general circumstances of the Waiariki Board, said Sir x\pirana. He could really do no other than consent in the circumstances so long as Mr.' Holland ■was satisfied the price was reasonable and the purchase necessary. Heal Basis of Scheme In reply to Mr. Quilliam, who is appearing to assist the commission, the Minister- agreed that the real basis of the scheme contained in the legislation of 1929 was the use of State funds for the development of unimproved Maori lands. It was an experiment that could be put into practice quite slowly. Mr. "Quilliam suggested there were two distinct ideas in the Act—one, development of land, and the other provision of assistance for natives to farm the land. The Minister: You separate the two? Mr. Quilliam: I suggest you can very easily. The Minister: You can make the distinction if you like, but it did not apply in practice; one merges into the other. It is nonsense to think of farming land without doing a certain amount of development. Mr. Quilliam: No doubt you recognised at the outset all the difficulties yon would have to contend with? The -Minister: I had a pretty fair idea, knowing tho various districts and their make-up. You knew yon could not expect any kind of unanimous support from the Maoris themselves?—l quite expected to find difficulties in a good many districts Maori Rating Problem I suppose you realised from the outset that good land would be difficult to procure and you would have to bo content with inferior land ? —Yes. * Mr. Quilliam said that the Minister had mentioned the rating problem regarding the development schemes. "Did it occupy any place in your mind?" he asked. y The Minister said yes, that was included in one's conception, that by the development of their land and assistance in regard to farming the Maoris could be placed in a position of undertaking their full share of their responsibility. That, was stressed in discussions with them and in contacts.with local bodies. Mr. Quilliam referred to complaints made by Audit in 1932 and asked the Minister if he tried to find out from the TJnder-Secrotary how certain things had happened. The Minister: I can't say I did. Did you ever take stops to find out whether he had done anything to keep them fronj happening again?— Not specifically. I understood that steps were being taken to improve the clerical side of the office and so on. It appeared to me that'what was required was that certain officers should concentrate on development schemes, and that was done. Reorganisation was undertaken with the existing resources of tho department. Stage lor Review Reached ■, The 'Chairman, Mr. Justice Smith: Mr. Verschaffelt says in his evidence you could have had more staff from him than you took. The Minister replied that two or three years had elapsed since the position arose. Tho urgent need for economy had been impressed on every Minister at that Lime. "We made up our minds to meet the position as best wo could," he added. The commission adjourned.