G.—9

remaining only one major scheme to complete. With the object of accelerating this important work, and thus paving the way for land development and settlement and the rehabilitation of returned Maori soldiers, committees of departmental officers have been formed in the Tokerau and Waiarik. Districts, with the Maori members of Parliament as chairmen for the appropriate electoral district, The purpose of these committees is to formulate the scheme of consolidation for submission to the Native Land Court, which carries them into effect following confirmation by the Native Minister. NATIVE TRUSTEE. Business has been maintained in all phases of the work of the Native Trust Office, which division of the Department acts as trustee or agent for some ten thousand Native beneficiaries ; administers a large number of Native reserves containing an aggregate area of 94,000 acres located in cities, towns, and rural districts ; advances money to Natives on the security of their lands ; and is actively engaged on pastoral operations on a number of sheep-stations comprising a total area of 50,088 acres. The Native Trustee accepts money on deposit from the Maori Land Boards and acts as banker for the special Native Housing Fund and the Maori Purposes Fund. The volume of cash business for the year under review—receipts, £177,061 ; and payments, £197,294 —shows an increase in comparison with the figures for the previous year, and at the 31st March, 1942, funds in hand and on deposit at short call amounted to £65,548. Other assets included mortgage investments, £398,217 ; advances on overdraft to estates, £166,403 ; properties acquired under mortgage, £17,043 ; and local-body securities, £5,100. At 31st March, 1942, the Native Trustee's total liability to his beneficiaries amounted to £182,056 ; £178,359 was held on account of the Maori Land Boards ; housing, Maori purposes, and miscellaneous funds totalled £128,965 ; while accumulated reserves for general and specific purposes amounted to £122,000. MAORI LAND BOARDS. In the administration of some 660,000 acres of vested lands, the collection and distribution of rents, royalties, and purchase-moneys from these lands, and from freehold areas which have been alienated, the operations of the seven Maori Land Boards have been fully sustained. Besides assisting Natives to farm their own lands and in certain circumstances acting as agent for Maoris, the Boards are empowered to engage in any industry in the interests of Natives, to act as receivers for the purpose of enforcing charges imposed by the Native Land Courts, and to deal with various matters affecting land by meetings of assembled owners. The collective receipts and payments of the Boards for the year under review were respectively £475,749 and £439,385, as compared with £415,805 and £439,827 for the previous financial year. At the 31st March, 1942, the total liability to Native beneficiaries was £482,166, whilst funds held or invested by the Boards aggregated £660,497, under the following headings :— £ Government securities .. .. .. .. •• •• 105,013 Mortgages and charges .. .. .. .. .. •• 337,679 Deposit with Native Trustee .. .. .. .. .. 177,897 Cash balances .. .. .. .. .. • • .. 39,908 £660,497 The Boards' total reserves for general and specific purposes as at 31st March, 1942, amounted to £204,057. FINANCE. The volume of business transacted by the Department during the year is indicated by the following figures. The corresponding amounts for the previous year were: Payments, £1,776,778; receipts, £1,408,879

Receipts from Native land development schemes, £502,252; grant from the Consolidated Fund, £247,500; and sundries, £4,437. For the year ended 31st March, 1942, the gross expenditure from the Consolidated Fund vote " Native " was £430,773, and the recoveries totalled £23,204. Brief particulars of the net expenditure covering general costs of administration and grants for Native purposes are as follows :— Salaries, General departmental administration, and purchase of £ £ equipment .. .. ■■ ■• ■■ 134,399 Less recoveries from the Native Trustee, Maori Land Boards, and miscellaneous .. .. ■ ■ 23,204 111,195 Grants for Native purposes .. .. •• •• •• 281,676 Protection of Native land .. .. .. .-■ •■ 9,698 Taranaki lands compensation .. .. .. • ■ • ■ 0, 000 £407,569

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Total Payments. Total Receipts. ■Consolidated Fund — , £ £ Civil List (Native purposes) . . .. .. .. • ■ 5,264 Special Acts (Arawa tribes) .. .. .. .- ■■ 6,000 Vote "Native" 430,773 23,204 Court fees .. .. .. •■ •• •• •• 3,961 Public Works Fund — Vote " Native Land Settlement" .. .. .. •■ 862,104 754,189 Receipts under Native Housing Act .. .. .. .. ■• 11,270 Native Trust Office and Maori Land Boards .. .. •■ 636,679 652,810 1,940,820 1,445,434