NATIVE AFFAIRS

Southland Times, Issue 22362, 29 June 1934, Page 11

NATIVE AFFAIRS

RELIEF OF DISTRESS. GRANTS BY UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD, METHOD OF EXPENDITURE. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, July 28. Evidence regarding grants made by the Unemployment Board for the relief of distress among unemployed Maoris was given at the Native Affairs Commission to-day by Mr W. Bromley, a member of the board. He said that in 1931 when the Minister of Finance approved a grant of £lO,OOO, the only conditions imposed were that Maoris were to be employed on development work and the assistance given in individual cases was not to exceed that given Europeans under the number five scheme. Mr Finlay suggested the- board was handing over £75,000 to the Native Lands Settlement Board without conditions, so far as use of the money was concerned. Mr Bromley: We think that is the proper thing to do. He said that in using the Native Department’s organization for administration for the grants, the Unemployment Board was carrying out the intention of the Government. The board had avoided buying materials except where it was unavoidable, as in the case of goldmining. Mr Findlay: Would the board feel there was any breach of'.the terms under which the Native Minister got his funds if he spent the money on material for the prosecution of settlement schemes ? Mr Bromley: I don’t think the board would be inclined to worry about it. It was left to the discretion of the Minister at the time to use it to the best advantage and according to the dictates of his own good judgment. Witness said that although the money •-■xpended might be given to a wealthy Maori, it would be of indirect assistance to a lot of unemployed Maoris. Questioned why a man milking 40 cows should receive assistance, witness said the board was giving assistance in that way because without assistance a man would have to walk off the land and register for relief, thus allowing .he land to go back. Mr Norman William Smith, solicitor and clerk in the head office of the Native Department, said he remembered the Iles transaction, but could not recall all the circumstances. He had nothing whatever to do with the negotiations, but acted as solicitor for the Waiariki District Maori Land Board to extend in preparing and obtaining the execution of transfer, attending to apportionments, arranging the payment of purchase money to Iles and registering the board’s title. He prepared the transfer and obtained its execution. The balance of the purchase money after allowing for apportionments, was paid to Iles by a voucher containing authority on the postmaster. The reason for this was that as the sum jvas large, it was more convenient for the board to have it paid that way. After execution of the transfer, both the registrar and himself accompanied Iles to the Post Office, where he received a cheque. Witness said he understood that it had been stated that the purchase money was paid before the mortgage was released. To the best of his knowledge and belief, the arrangements with Iles as to discharge of the mortgage were made by the board before witness received his instructions. He found that a letter was received from the bank that the bank had no further claim against the leas-. and the mortgage was being released. “It is clear,” said witness, that the mortgage was not actually discharged before settlement, but in my opinion the letter from the bank was sufficient in the circumstances to allow settlement to be effected, and I am satisfied I did not consider it necessary to query it, nor suggest that settlement be withheld until release was received by the board. I gather from the newspaper reports that it has been suggested that it was possible that a secret commission was passed, but I can say quite definitely that it never occurred at the time and it never occurred to me since. I can state honestly that so far as I am aware, there was never any suggestion that anybody received a secret commission, as far as I am aware, anyhow. In reply to Mr Johnston, witness said he did not remember who it was that made the request to the postmaster to have the funds available. The postmaster would have no right to make the sum available on his (witness’s) authority. Somebody else must have made the arrangements for £5OOO to be available. He should imagine that the accountant- would make the arrangements. The commission adjourned till tomorrow.