NATIVE LANDS

Southland Times, Issue 22201, 19 December 1933, Page 6

NATIVE LANDS

finance and control POWERS TRANSFERRED TO BOARD PURCHASE OF PROPERTIES (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, December 18. The undertaking given by the Government that the whole of the powers of native land settlement would be transferred from the Native Minister to the board of which the Minister is a member, is carried out in the Native Purposes Bill which was introduced in the House to-night. The Bill was read a first time and sent to the Native Affairs Committee. Funds for the administration of Maori Land Boards are to be repaid to the Consolidated Fund on a requisition made under the authority of the Minister of Finance, instead of the Native Minister. The spending authority of these boards is also subject to the approval of the Minister of Finance instead of the Native Minister, and the transfer of funds from one board to another can only in future be made under authority from the Minister of Finance.

The whole of the Native Minister’s control over the guarantee fund for the protection of native lands is transferred to the Minister of Finance. It will also be necessary in future for the Minister of Finance, instead of the Native Minister, to give authority for the boards to engage in industrial undertakings on behalf of natives. In future the Native Land Settlement Board is to control the following matters in place of the Native Minister: Advances upon mortgage by the Maori Land Boards: all expenditure by the Maori Land Boards in the direction of making advances to natives; the guaranteeing of accounts of native dairy farmers; the purchase of and farming of lands; the subdivision of land for settlement; provision of funds for compensation for improvements; apportionment of the liability of the advances made for development. The whole of the powers previously held by the Native Minister in reference to the development of native owned land are placed in the hands of the Native Land Settlement Board. Power to compound native rates are also placed in the hands of the Native Land Settlement Board in place of the Native Minister. The appointment of managers of farms held by the Maori Land Boards is to be made by the Public Service Commissioner, instead of the Native Minister.

In the Native Trustee Act, 1930, a number of powers are exercisable by the native trustee with the approval of the Native Minister, but an amending clause in the Bill substitutes the Native Land Settlement Board for the Minister. The board thus exercises final authority over borrowing, the appointment of managers of farms and all matters connected with the administration, improvement and settlement of such lands. Any contract made by the Native Land Settlement Board is to be signed by two of its members an;' no verbal contract is to be made involving payment by the board of a sum exceeding £2O.