EXPENDITURE JUSTIFIED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 34, 9 February 1934, Page 6

EXPENDITURE JUSTIFIED

PRIME MINISTER REPLIES. [ Per Press Association. I AUCKLAND, Feb. 8. “1 am quite convinced that the expenditure incurred was thoroughly well justified, and that the outcome of the gathering will be of lasting benefit tn both races and the country generally,” said the Prime Minister, Hon. G. AV. Forbes, when the criticism concerning the money spent on tiie celebrations at Waitangi this week was brought under his notice. “I doubt if a gathering of such importance has ever taken place in New Zealand, as it has served to focus attention on something that we have been neglecting, or at least overlooking. Mr. Forbes said ho could not believe that anyone who was at the celebrations and saw the friendliness and spirit that they evoked, could hold any other opinion. He doubted whether the money could have been spent to better purpose. Relations between the two peoples had always been good, but he felt that the ceremonies had cleared up any feelings that might have been in the minds of the. Maori people that the Europeans were not desirous of carrying out their part of the Treaty of Waitangi. “The gathering at Waitangi provided Mr. Coates and myself with an opportunity of addressing all the Maori tribes in New Zealand,’’ said Air. Forbes. “We were able to disabuse their minds of any feeling that we were not going to carry out our policy of assisting them in the development of their lands, or any idea that there was going to be any confiscation of ithcLr lands. To my mind, it was a very Jinp thing that we were able to bring lthem together in such circumstances.” Air. Forbes said the bulk of the expenditure wont in the employment of unemployed labour and in transport costs, most of which wont in lhe carriage of the ’Maori tribes on the Government railways. ———