MAORI PURPOSES FUND

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19833, 23 June 1934, Page 19

MAORI PURPOSES FUND

BIASED ADMINISTRATION DENIED By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, June 22. A charge made before the Native Affairs Commission recently that the administration of the Maori Purposes Fund had been partial and biased toward an unnamed religious body was given an emphatic denial by the Rev. Father J. J. Riordan. S.M., of Otaki, on behalf of the Catholic Missions to Maoris, in evidence at the continuation of the inquiry in Wellington to-day. Father Riordan said that he had never known any circumstances which would suggest religious bias or geographical favouritism. In referring to the development schemes, witness said that he thought the Native Minister had achieved wonders in the face of tremendous difficulties, and that it was a matter for congratulation that more mistakes had not been made. He urged the continuation and extension of the work for the complete development of the Maori intellectually, socially. morally and nationally. Evidence was called from Chief Judge Jones, of the Native Land Court, and formerly Under-Secretary of the Department. He told of the difficulties under which the head office had been working for the last four or five years, and stated that the whole staff had been forced to work back until late at night to cope with the tremendous pressure of duties. He admitted that the shortage of staff had impaired the efficiency of the office, and when asked who was to blame for this state of affairs, he said that he supposed he himself was, as he had been unable to get anything done.