NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20279, 13 April 1934, Page 12

NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Difficulties Experienced by Secretary. REORGANISATION SUGGESTED. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 12. The Under-Secretary of the Department of Native Affairs, Mr P. G. Pearce, concluded his evidence at the Native Affairs Inquiry to-day by referring to the remedial measures he had taken since assuming office in November. Answering questions, he said he was very much in favour of the abolition of a number of boards, and their functions being brought under-the control of the head office. lie undertook to prepare a memorandum showing how he thought reorganisation should be carried out. He said that, in connection with the staff position, he was having a fair amount of trouble. One of the weaknesses was the deficiency of field staff, and he had been taking steps to remedy it. He seemed to have ccme against a certain amount of difficulty in getting suitable individuals. He had attempted to fill one position. Two refused the offer of appointment and another was not acceptable to the Native Minister. The chairman (Mr Justice Smith): The Minister declined to approve your suggestion. Witness: It was really a matter for the Public Service Commissioner, but seeing that the Native Minister expressed a decided objection to the individual they had in view, he proceeded no further with it. The chairman: You are having difficulty in carrying out your administrative duties. Witness replied that possibly he might not have accomplished as much as he might have done, and there were still difficulties in the wav of the department operating smoothly. Michael Joseph Lawless, Registrar of the Aotea Maori Land Board, and formerly accountant in the head office of the Native Department, gave evidence regarding the staff shortage at the head office and also the cramped accommodation. For two years, the whole of the accounts staff at head office were instructed to work overtime three nights a week. This, together with a cramped office, was a bar to efficient service. The next witness. Colonel Campbell, Controller and Auditor-General, said that last year, following a failure to effect improvements in the keeping of accounts in the Native Department, he apprised the Government of the position for a second time. He described what he had done in reporting to Parliament on matters connected with the Native administration and said the Audit Office held the view that a due regard for native phychology was not necessarily opposed to efficiency in administration and economy in expenditure. Neither he nor his officers had been actuated bv any want of sympathy with the Native race or with tfie policy of the Government regarding natives.