SHIP DESERTERS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20917, 23 September 1939, Page 3

SHIP DESERTERS

VARYING SENTENCES QUESTION ASKED IN HOUSE NATIVE AFFAIRS ALLEGATION When the House met at 10.30 a.m. Mr H. S. S. Kyle (Opposition —Riccarton), in an urgent question to the Attorney-General, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, drew attention to recent cases ol' deserters from a ship at Auckland, where a British subject was sentenced to a term of imprisonment, white two Germans who were also charged with ship desertion were convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon. Mr Mason in reply said the two Germans in the present case had not been sent to prison on account ol' their extreme youth. Personally he agreed with the exemption from imprisonment of very young offenders. Bill From Upper House Two minor amendments to the Meat Bill made by the Legislative Council were approved, and the Reserves and Uther Lands Disposal Bill was read a second time, little discussion taking place on either measure. Waste on Native Housing Discussing the Native Purposes Bill in committee, the aeting-Lcadcr of the House, the Hon. P. Fraser, said he had been rather surprised that on the second reading the member l'or Eastern Maori, the Hon. -Sir Apirana Ngata, had indicated that he knew where waste was going on in connection with the Native Department's administration, but as it was pakeha money it did not matter and they would not draw attention to it. Mr Fraser said it was the duty of everyone to point out waste if he saw it, so that it could be stopped, and possibly Sir Apirana had not meant lullv what he had said. Mr W. J. Poison said he knew of a I certain amount of waste going on. but j as it was nol in his district lie did not like to interfere. He would be glad lo give the Native Minister information I oil the subject. I Sir Apirana Ngata said he would not take back anything he had said, and he would go into specific cases with the acting-Native Minister. He also urged that it was necessary to deal with the position of Maoris in the public service. Mr Fraser: "We want that.” Sir Apirana, continuing, said that as far as pakeha money was concerned Ihere seemed to he an assumption that unemployment funds spent on Maoris constituted something of a gratuity from the pakeha, but if the Maori

were only getting what h* was entitled to there should not be so much crowing about it. He would remind the House there was such a thing as racial pride. Need For Investigation The whole housing policy of the Native Department should be investigated, Sir Apirana 6aid. There was waste in this connection in regard to material and high costs. The acljng-*Minister of Native Affairs, the Hon. F. Langstone, said he would be glad of Sir Apirana Ngata’s

co-operation in investigating the matter, and Mr Fraser gave an assurance that the question of native housing would be thoroughly investigated by the Minister. The Bill was pul: through the remaining stages and passed, as was the Reserves and uther Lands Disposal Bill. The Wages Protection and Contractors’ Liens Bill, also the Patents, Designs and Trademarks Amendment’ Bill, were committed, and the House adjourned for luncheon at 1 p.m..