ROTORUA MAORIS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22878, 5 November 1937, Page 16

ROTORUA MAORIS

BEAUTIFYING FUNDS DISSATISFACTION EXPRESSED EXPLANATION BY THE MAYOR [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] ROTORUA, Thursday Dissatisfaction among somo of the Maoris at the Whakarewarewa Reserve owing to their inability to handle the funds collected from visitors for beautifying purposes was the subject of a deputation from the Whakarewarewa Ivomiti Marae to the Rotorua Borough Council last evening. Mr. W. Denham, acting-secretary of the Komiti, stated that prior to 1933j there had been two committees operat-j ing in the village. Since that date all, the finances had been handled by the council. The Maoris now desiicd the; beautifying work to he carried on by a special committee of the Maoris, themselves. Some said that if they were j not, given full control of the funds j which they collected they would not contribute further. The Method ol Control The Mayor, Mr. T. Jackson, stated that the present arrangement was come to at the request of the Maoris themselves owing to the very unsatisfactory position which had arisen when there were two organisations carrying out the same functions in the pa. Tie I pointed out that actually the council's functions in connection wtili the funds of the Komiti were confined to the keeping of the accounts. The Komiti itself had complete jurisdiction in the expenditure of the funds and had to approve of the payments before they were made by the council. So far as the Komiti Marao was concerned, control of the finances of this body was given to the council by legislation, but if it was found that any portion of the funds credited to it rightly belonged to another body, then there could be no objection to that body handling its own funds. Advice to the Maoris Before taking any action which would mean the splitting of the functions of tho two existing bodies, said the Ma\oi, the Maoris would be well advised Jo consider the experience of the past and the unsatisfactory position which had then obtained. Mr. Denham thanked the Mayor for his explanation, and saiilthatinviow of it he thought it possible that the Maoris might now be content to leave the position as it was at present.