INQUIRY OPENED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20276, 10 April 1934, Page 9

INQUIRY OPENED.

Working of Native Affairs Department. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 10. The Native Affairs Commission commenced taking evidence at Wellington this morning. The evidence first heard was mainly of an historical nature and was submitted by the department. Members of the Commission, which will hear evidence at Auckland, Rotorua and Gisborne, are: Mr Justice Smith (chairman), Messrs J. Alexander (Auckland), D. G. Johnston (Wellington) and L. W. Nelson (Whangarei). Mr R. H. Quilliam, instructed by the Government, appears to assist the Commission, and Mr G. P. Finlay appears for the Native people. Mr Quilliam said that he proposed to call the Under-Secretary of the Native Department, who would present a statement explaining in general terms the constitution of the department, the Native Trust Office and the different branches of the Government concerned with Native administration. The Native Trustee and one or two witnesses from the Native Trust Office would also be called, a statement would also be submitted by the Controller and Auditor-General, whose last report led to the inquiry. The Auditor-General would also present a file dealing with the particular matters to which he considered it was desirable that attention should be drawn. Other witnesses would be representative of the Treasury, the Public Service Commissioner and the deputy-chairman of the Unemployment Board.