MAORI PURPOSES FUND BOARD ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1947

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1947 Session I, G-11

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i 947 NEW ZEALAND

MAORI PURPOSES FUND BOARD ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1947

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 14 of the Maori Purposes Fund Act, 1934-35

General The only meeting of the Board during the year was the statutory annual meeting, which was held on .the 3rd October, 1946. Their term of office having expired in December, the following members of the Board were reappointed on the 11th February : The Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata ; Johannes C. Andersen, Esq.; and the Very Rev. J. G. Laughton. Op assuming the portfolio of Native Minister in December, 1946, the Right Hon. Peter Fraser ex officio became the Chairman of the Board. Operations Education. —In previous years the Board has made two grants to the Education Department, one of £5OO to subsidize Government Maori Free Place Scholarships, and one of £250 to be used in assisting deserving Maori students who might otherwise be unable to continue their education at secondary school or university. This year the Board granted a total of £750 to be used for the latter purpose, provided that the number and value of the free-place scholarships can be otherwise maintained at the present level. * Arts and Crafts.- —In an endeavour to encourage the teaching of Maori carving the Board undertook to make a capitation grant of £5O each for one year for a maximum of five students trained at the School of Maori Arts and Crafts at Ruatoria. An offer was also made to finance the erection of a cottage at Ruatoria for the accommodation of instructors at the school, but it is understood that other arrangements have since been made. A further grant of £6O was approved for the importation of carving-chisels for Maori carvers, such chisels being in very short supply and more or less unprocurable in New Zealand at present. Ethnological Publications. —As in previous years, a grant of £3OO was made to assist the Polynesian Society towards the cost of publishing ethnological material. Several manuscripts on Maori matters are being considered by the Board's Literary Committee to assess their value for publication. Sales of the Board's publications amounted to 269 volumes, as compared with 301 in 1945-46.

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Grants from Maori Land Boards. —A total of £550 was received from the various Maori Land Boards to be applied towards the erection or repair of specific tribal buildings and amenities, and a sum of £5O was received out of a total of £250, which is to be contributed by the Boards to assist towards the cost of revising the Bible in the Maori language. A grant of £250 was also received from the Government for this purpose. Finance. —As a result of the receipt of £13,000 from Consolidated Fund to reimburse the Board for sums expended in rebuilding Maori secondary schools some years ago the Board's financial position has improved considerably. In consequence of the receipt of this sum the Board at the last annual meeting resolved that the corpus of the fund be stabilized and maintained at £57,500, instead of £40,000 as provided in 1936. This increased corpus will provide the Board with a higher income and will permit of an expansion of its activities. Members of the Board have been asked to submit for consideration any suggestions they have for research or for publication of historical or cultural material worthy of record by the Board. The following is a stateinent of receipts and expenditure for the year ended the 31st March, 1947 : Receipts £ Payments £ Cash balance as at Ist April, 1946 .. 48,517 Administration expenses .. 164 Grant from Consolidated Fund .. 375 Grants — £ Grant from Consolidated Fund (Schools) 13,000 Ex Maori Land Boards .. 675 Grant from Civil List (Native purposes) Education .. .. .. 1,500* Funds (Maori Bible) .. .. 250 Polynesian Society .. .. 600* Interest .. .. .. .. 1,580 ——- 2,775 Grants from Maori Land Boards for Cash balance with Native Trustee specific purposes .. .. .. 625 at 31st March, 1947 .. .. 61,541 Miscellaneous receipts (Sales, &c.) .. 133 £64,480 £64,480 * Includes grants for the previous year not paid until after 31st March, 1946. Budget for Year ending 31st March, 1948 Expenditure Income Administration expenses — £ £ £ Audit fee .. .. 9 Interest from Native Trustee .. .. 1,800 Native Trustee's Commission .. 60 Grant from Consolidated Fund .. 375 Freight .. .. .. 2 Profit on sale of publications .. .. 25 Insurance .. .. .. 7 Grants received during 1946-47 from Printing and stationery .. 5 Maori Land Boards for specific purposes Rent, repairs, &c. .. .. 105 not yet expended .. .. .. 400 Salary .. .. .. 35 Travelling-expenses .. .. 30 Sundries .. .. .. 7 260 Purchase of carving-equipment .. .. 60 Grant for carving students .. .. 200 Education grants . . .. .. 750 Publishing (including grant to Polynesian Society) .. .. .. .. 700 Grants received from Maori Land Boards but not yet expended . . .. 400 Balance available for miscellaneous grants, &c. .. .. .. .. 230 £2,600 £2,600

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given; printing (558 copies), £4.

By Authority: E. V. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington. —1947. Price 3<Z.]

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