MAORI FUND

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19946, 2 November 1934, Page 14

MAORI FUND

GRANTS TO MINISTER’S CHILDREN

STRONG CRITICISM . . WELLINGTON. October 31. “Unfortunate” and “reprehensible” are tennis used against the conduct of Sir Apirana Ngata in the report of the commission on the affairs of the Maori Purposes Board, which, among other functions, makes grants for scholarships for Maoris. The commission heard complaints of partial treatment. Its report says: “With regard to the partiality toward a particular family, the chief reference is to the family of the Native Minister. From April 1, 1929. to January, 1934, travelling expenses and college fees of the Ngata family amounting to £697 3s 9d were paid out of the Maori Purposes Fund. A written explanation by the Native Minister was supplied to us. The explanation made is that the amount is largely accounted for by the fees of Mr Tipene ('Stephen') R. Ngata. who received a Government free place scholarship from the Government in 1927. and was thereby entitled to grants of £lO each in 1927 and 1928. He received a continuation scholarship in 1929. In 1930 he. with Laddie Kohere. proceeded to Lincoln Agricultural College. “In 1932 Mr Tipene R. Nyata passed through Canterbury Agricultural College and proceeded to the Massey Agricultural College. Palmerston North. Transport fees, etc., were paid while he was enrolled there, under the authority of the following resolution of the board passed at a meeting on December 9, 1931, at which were present Sir Apirana Ngata. Chief Justice Jones, and Mr Tuiti Makitanara, M.P.: “That the transport and accommodation expense, fees, books, and extras incurred by and on account of the board’s assisted students at the Canterbury and Massey Agricultural Colleges be paid by the board whenever the same are due and payable.” Mr Tipene R. Ngata has obtained his diploma in dairy-farming, and is finishing his training in dairy manufacture at Massey Agricultural College this year. “The sum of £697 3s 9d also includes expenses on behalf of Miss Hana Ngata. Henare Ngata. and Hori Ngata. The first two are children of Sir Apirana Ngata, and Hori is a grandson.” The Minister’s explanation was that a Maori party went to Rarotonga under authority of the board and to “extend the hand of friendship* 4 to chiefs in Rarotonga. ; The commission remarks: “The members present at the meeting of the board (at which the amount was voted-) were Sir Apirana Ngata. Mr Tuiti Makitanara. M.P.. and Dr. Buck.” The sum of £697 3s 9d also included the payment of fees, transport, etc., of Miss Mate Ngata and Messrs Henare Ngata and Hori Ngata when holdingscholarships. The Native Minister’s explanation concluded: “It is no fault of the father of these children that, owing to their proficiency in education they commanded scholarships a wardable either by the Education Department or the board to all who can pass the tests laid down, and that they should be penalised because their father happens to be chairman of the board for the time.” The commission’s answer is: “If however, the resolutions of March 24. 1930, November 19. 1930. and December. 9. 1931. under which a member or members of the Ngata family took substantial benefits, were passed at meetings which were otherwise valid, it is unfortunate, and. we think, reprehensible, that Sir Apirana Ngata was one of the three members present at these meetings and necessary to form a quorum. “It is clear that special assistance became available to agricultural students. including the son of the Native Minister, at Te Aute College from August, 1929. onward, and that such assistance was not offered or granted to other schools. It is clear also that special assistance, not offered or granted elsewhere, has been granted to a few East Coast and Rotorua families. “We think that the facts we have stated require explanation, and that, if the partiality shown is to be justified, some method of fair selection of the objects for additional assistance from among the Maori people of the Dominion should be shown. We have seen no evidence of it. “Failing that we have no hesitation in saying that the complaints have been established, and that, again, partiality and injustice have been shown, to the Maori people, but particularly the Maori youth of the Dominion in the administration of the fund. In any event, it is plain that Sir Apirana Ngata has misused his position as a member of the board by making a quorum to pass resolutions under which his children took substantial benefits and by which he was relieved ] of financial responsibility.”