NATIVE AFFAIRS INQUIRY

Taranaki Daily News, 1 June 1934, Page 7

NATIVE AFFAIRS INQUIRY

GISBORNE INVESTIGATIONS LAND COURT JUDGE’S EVIDENCE. WORK ON DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES ALLEGED LACK OF CONFIDENCE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Gisborne, Last Night. Judge Carr, of the Native Land Court, gave lengthy evidence before the Native Affairs Commission. He gave a summary of the Native land development schemes and the work done. He was followed in similar strain by Judge Harvey, of the> Native Land Court. Judge Carr said that the funds controlled by the Tairawhiti Land Board fell into three classes and comprised: (1) Rents and royalties collected by the board on behalf of Native owners and the proceeds of the sale of Native land; (2) Treasury money to be expended in schemes for the development of Native lands; (3) unemployed relief moneys collected by the board in this district exceeding £90,000. t> “The general policy of the board, he said, “has been to invest not less than one-third of its funds in Government securities, as a readily negotiable reserve to provide for abnormal withdrawals, with a limit as fixed to all loans, and where desirable advances are made by instalments.” Witness then gave the procedure following an application for a loan. In some cases advances were made in cash, and in others in goods or stock. The expenditure of public moneys for the development of Native lands was one of the most important functions of the board. AU development schemes were under the control of the board till April, 1932, on which date a rearrangement of control was effected, the northern schemes being placed under the control of officers responsible only to the Native Minister, and the southern schemes, with the exception of the Mohaka scheme, under the partial control of other officers similarly responsible. DETAILS OF ADVANCES. Advances by the board from its own funds were as follows:— (a) Thirty-six loans aggregating £26,720 for the purpose of paying off existing encumbrances on general farming. Of this amount repayments to date total £8663. (b) Thirty-four loans of £29,461 for similar purposes, but the expenditure is directly controlled by the board. Repayments in this class to date total £3847. (c) Nine loans of £4426 for discharging mortgages on Native land. Repayments total £2240. (d) Six loans of £1328 for dwellings. Indebtedness, £714. . (e) Three loans aggregating £Bl2O for investment purposes. (f) Three loans of £3050 made from health funds controlled by the board. The indebtedness is £2563. (g) In two cases loans aggregating £2420 have been taken over of units under the Tuparoa development scheme, and the amount of advances repaid to the board from development funds. (h) One advance of £4091 made for the dual purpose of purchases of land for access to a Native block and to extinguish a liabiUty for compensation to the Native lessee. In regard to the proposed aboUtion of Maori land boards and centralising functions at Wellington, witness thought it would be a retrograde step, as the Maori was lost unless he could interview a judge or president and have his troubles heard at the fountain head. Judge Harvey stated that Mr. Goldsmith had full control of the Waiapu schemes, though communicating to a great extent with Wellington. Witness felt sore and would' have liked to see everything come through the Gisborne office. There was little cohesion between the offices concerning the coast scheme. The Gisborne office was hopelessly in the dark as to what was being done. Had there been an adequate staff he . believed the Audit Department would have had no ground for complaint. Witness supervised seven development schemes with one accountant and a small staff. Also, as agent for the East Coast Commissioner, he was concerned '‘with farming 90,000 acres. The financial position of this trust had been very bad, but was now sound. Taken right through, the development schemes were a success. The work was done more by collaboration with the Minister than by direction from him. It was that which the Minister called team work. Dealing with stores issues, Judge Harvey, in answer to the chairman, Mr. Justice Smith, said he was worried about grass seed being issued to suppliers of the dairy factory and had gone into the matter with the Treasury, the impression then being that all would be repaid by March, 1933. The seed was sent up under instructions from Wellington; from whom witness could not say from memory. Mr. Justice Smith: Did you know it was going to persons outside the development scheme? Witness: Yes. His Honour: But you did it because of instructions? Witness: Yes, I was given instructions from Wellington. MAORI LAND FOR MAORIS. Judge Harvey, in reply to a question by the chairman, said it was not advisable to guarantee accounts with storekeepers. All that could be done was to arrange with the storekeeper to be on hand when the men were being paid. Witness gave details of the work done by the Maori Land Board and said the board took over the Anarau station really to save the land for the Maoris and to comply with the desire to get the land back free of lease. The idea of getting Maori land back into Maori occupation had been a favourite topic on the coast for years—ever since 1921. That was the ideal the board had striven for. ’ The chairman of the commission highly complimented Judge Harvey on his reports, stating it was clear he had put his heart and soul into the work. Mr. Richard James Thompson, actingregistrar of the board, gave a lengthy explanation regarding instructions to . forward manures for the Waiapu, Matakaoa and Poroporo schemes. Evidence was also'given by Mr. G. D. Turnbull, a Public Works engineer on loan to the Native Department since last year, regarding work done on the schemes. All the contracts had not been completed, due probably to seasonal work. He could not get the Maoris to register. They did not appear to understand, The Chairman: Is it possible that they want to be left alone? Witness: Probably they do. The Chairman: And smile at all the fuss. The witness said much of the work done was too cheap. With unemployed schemes by the local bodies no figures had been kept that would enable a comparison to be made with the Maori relief schemes under discussion. Evidence was given by Mr. G. F. R. Jamieson, of the Treasury, in regard to accounting methods, and by Mr. Harold Wallen Symes, farm supervisor, who said the schemes were progressing well. The commission adjourned till tomorrow.