NATIVE AFFAIRS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 156, 4 July 1934, Page 8

NATIVE AFFAIRS

LAND DEVELOPMENT MINISTER’S STATEMENT [ Per Press Association. ) WELLINGTON, July 3. A statement that the Maori land development schemes were not planless and aimless was made by Sir A. Ngata when giving evidence before the Native Affairs Commission to-day. The general plan, he said, involved a study in the first place of land resources and the character of the people who owned them. There was on himself and the Native Department an obligation to spread the assistance granted by Parliament as widely as possible. Sir A. Ngata said that, applied in detail, the general plan involved a study in the first place of the. land resources and character of the people which owned them. He dealt ••with each Alaori land district and with the genesis of the schemes in each, having regard to the factors of the general plan. He dealt in detail with the difficulties which had been encountered in the various schemes. He said that the Commission understood the position he had taken up from the very beginning of the schemes regarding the .association with European supervision of the Alaori element, cither a Alaori foreman or leader. It raised what was one of the fundamental issues in the present inquiry. It was a detail of administration, it was true, and on the face °t’ it a minor detail, but involved in H was a question of policy on the wise solution of which depended the future of the schemes. At the field end the supervision had to satisfy the diverse Maori elements; at the other end it ; had to satisfy the State loan funds. H e put forward a proposition which he thought was amply proved by British experience with native races throughout the world, that at the point of contact between authority and the native, the former was best represented by someone who in his own person in the conduct of affairs and in the conception of his relations with the latter, embodies justice and fairness, and firmness tempered with understanding, which the native had been led to believe were the characteristics of British rule. If an administrator revealed himself as unsympathetic or unregardful or arrogant or impatient or as a mere paid instrument of depatmental instructions, it would be difficult for a Alaori unit or community to regard the supreme administration other than as presented at the point of contact. Sir Apirana Ngata referred to the reply he gave to the question yesterday to tho effect that the work done by the Native Department had not been properly appreciated in the proper quarter. This referred to the Public Service Commissioner, the Treasury and the Government generally. He did not want it to be understood that any more blame was attached to the Public Service Commissioner or to the Secretary of tho Treasury than to anyone who was a member of the Government, or who was responsible for tho policy of economy in the service at that'time. On the whole, Mr. Versehaffelt had met the requirements at the time a s far as they could be understood and as far as they were .placed before him, very well. Sir Apirana s opinion was that the head office accountancy was weak, and the adapting of the Treasury system of accounting to farm accounts was still an aspect that gave concern. He added that “where Parliament authorised millions for the needs of the Lands Department, the linancc of the native land development schemes had been from hand to mouth. In regard to human material, the Lands Department has a syste.ni of selection as old as the laud settlement policy of New Zealand and the European farm population, of which the country is justly proud, lhat population comprises men with characteristics that command the confidence of financial institutions., What is the Maori human material?” Parliament regarded the native land development legislation, which for the first tune in the history of the (Dominion was authorised the use of State loan funds, as an experiment.. It could only be regarded as an experiment because of the uncertainty concerning the character of the Maori himself and the lack of confidence in his perseverance and business ability. The schemes were nevertheless not planless and aimless. Such general planning as there was could not be done without regard to two factors—the land titles and the quality of the human material applied. In detail, the general plan involved study in the first place of the land resources and character of the people who owned them. “There was on myself and the department the obligation to spread the assistance gianted by Parliament as widely as possible,” said Sir Apirana. ence has been made to the purchase of bay presses. These were not purchased for use in handling laige areas of hay pasture, but for use by adjoining groups of individual w-ho could not use power presses. Sir Apirana Ngata then referred in detail to several schemes, and discussed supervision. He said: “At the held end supervision has to satisfy diverse Maori elements; at the other end it has to satisfy State loan funds. How to satisfy both is the problem. I p ut ±0” ward, a proposi'tioii which 1 taiiiK - amply proved by British with native races throughout the world, that at the point of contact between authority and the native, the former is best represented by someone wiho is his own person in his conduct of affairs, and in his conception of his relations with the latter embodies the justice and fairness, and the firmness, tempered with understanding, ■which the native has been led to believe arc characteristics of British rule. To an administrator of that character he will make his best response, but if the administrator reveals himself as unsympathetic and unregardful, or arrogant and impatient, or as a mere paid instrument of departmental instructions, it will be difficult tor the Maori unit or community to regard the supreme administration other than as presented at the point of contact. Maori and Pakeha. At the conclusion of his statement

tho Native Minister, in the course of a "further verbal statement, referred to the allegations that had been made regarding himself sealing with the setting of the Maori against the pakeha. “If anything that I have done and anything that 1 stand for now should justify that impression, or should lead to an undesirable state of affairs, ’ ne said, “I would very willingly go out of active participation in politics. I should count my work an absolute failure if that is going to bo the resuit. ’ ’