LAND SETTLEMENT.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20362, 20 July 1934, Page 13

LAND SETTLEMENT.

“ Native Policy Triumphant Success.” Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, July 19. “I am not here to justify a failure. I am here to proclaim a triumphant success,” announced Mr G. P. Finlay, counsel appearing before the Native Affairs Commission on behalf of the Maori race, during to-day’s proceedings at Wellington. He pointed out that out of eighty-one land development schemes seventy-seven had been commercially successful. At the same time, he considered that the whole question of Native affairs had to be treated as a “humanistic problem and not as a cold and commercial one.”

The conclusion of the address by Mr R. H. Quilliam. counsel appointed to assist the Commission, was characterised by criticism of the Native Minister (Sir Apirana Ngata). particularly, counsel said, because Sir Apirana had allowed himself to be placed so often in positions where there was danger of other interests conflicting with his duty. When Mr Findlay ro-'e to reply, he commented on Mr Quilliam's address as being uniform in one respect—“wholesale and unqualified denunciation of one man only, the Native Minister.”