G.—9

1937. NEW ZEALAND.

NATIVE DEPARTMENT. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE UNDER-SECRETARY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1937.

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

The Under-Secretary, Native Department, to the Right Hon. the Minister of Native Affairs. Si R) — Native Department, Wellington, 26th October, 1937. I have the honour to present herewith the annual report upon the activities of this Department, excluding Native-land development, which is the subject of a separate report submitted by the Board of Native Affairs. The report covers the financial year ended 31st March, 1937. I have, &c., 0. N. Campbell, Under-Secretary and Native Trustee. The Right Hon. M. J. Savage, Minister of Native Affairs.

GENERAL REPORT. During the past year the increasing activity of the Department has been maintained in all its branches, and a detailed resume of the work is presented which indicates the widening field of operations. The extent of these activities may now be summarized as follows : — Native-land development and assistance to Maori farmers. Promotion of employment amongst Maoris. General Maori welfare. Native Land Courts. Trustee activities (Maori Land Boards, Native Trust Office, and East Coast Trust Commission). Native land consolidation. Since the establishment of the Native Land Court the Dominion has been divided into Court Districts, which number seven, as follows : — District. Headquarters. Tokerau .. .. .. • • • • • • • • Auckland. Waikato-Maniapoto .. .. .. ■. • • • ■ Auckland. Waiariki .. .. .. • • ■ • • • ■ • Rotorua. Tairawhiti .. .. .. .. • • • • • • Gisborne. Aotea .. .. .. .. •• • • - Wanganui. Ikaroa . . .. .. .. • • • • • ■ Wellington. South Island .. .. .. .. • • • • • • Wellington. These districts also correspond with the Maori Land Board boundaries, and the Judges and Registrars of the Courts are respectively the Presidents and Administrative officers of the Boards. With the inauguration of the Native-land-development policy the use of public moneys by the Department has increased considerably and a greater degree of organization has become necessary. The headquarters of each Native Land Court district has become a district office of the Department under the aegis of the Registrar, and the work has been largely decentralized under Head Office control. I—G.1 —G. 9.