G.-9

FINANCE The volume of business transacted by the Department during the year is indicated by the following statement: —

Expenditure from Vote " Native " Salaries, general departmental administration, and pur- £ £ chase of equipment .. .. 144,329 Less recoveries from Maori Land Boards and miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 9 (753-f- - 134,576 Grants for Native purposes.. .. .. .. .. ~ 180 798 Protection of Native land . . .. . . . . .. ]0 212 Taranaki lands compensation .. .. .. .. 5,000 £330,586 t Does not include Native Trustee's contribution for 1944 -45, £12,200, inadvertently unpaid. DISTRICT REPORTS Tokerau and Waikato-Maniapoto Districts (Auckland) Native Land Court Tokerau District —Although fewer cases were notified than in the previous year, a rise in the volume of business is indicated by the total number of orders made, which amounted to 2 026 this year, as compared with 1,492 in 1943-44. The sum of £630 was received in Court and Board fees, as against £470 in the previous year. The appointment of Mr. Ivor Prichard as Judge of the district towards the end of the year has considerably eased the. pressure of work. For some time prior to Judge Prichard's appointment the Court sittings in both the Tokerau and Waiknto-Mu mapoto districts were taken by Judge Beechey assisted, from time to time, by the Judges of other districts. Waikato-Maniapoto District.—The volume of business shows very little change from the previous year, a total of 605 orders having been made, as compared with 617 in 1943-44. Court and Board fees amounted to £695, as against £638 last year. There was a substantial increase in the area ol lands comprised 111 alienations confirmed by the Court, but sales decreased and a number of the alienations were in favour of Maoris. Maori Land Boards Apart from the administration of vested lands, a large part of the work of the Boards was concerned with negotiations for timber-cutting rights on Maori lands. As a result of the coal shortage, prospectors have carried out investigations in both districts, and opencast mining is now in operation in the Waikato-Maniapoto district both 011 privately owned Maori land and on land vested in the Maori Land Board. Consolidation The consolidation staff is now concentrating 011 particular areas with a view to finalizing these titles before fiesh schemes are undertaken. Ihe completion of the schemes now under action will be of particular benefit to the Maori whose lands have been brought under development. General Welfare A Welfare Officer is shortly to be appointed in the Auckland district, and it is anticipated that he will play an important part in the closer relationship between the Department and the Maori people.

4

Total Total Payments. Receipts. Consolidated Fund— £ £ Civil List (Native Purposes) .. .. .. .. 5 ) 425 Special Acts (Arawa and Ngaitahu) .. .. .. 16,000 Vote "Native" .. .. .. .. .. 9*753 Court fees .. .. .. ,. .. ., _, 5 jqj Land for Settlements— Vote " Native Land Settlement" .. .. .. 839,546 846 416* Receipts under Native Housing Act, 1935 .. .. .. 24 121 Native Trust and Maori Land Boards .. .. .. 666,553 667^509 1,867,863 1,553,100 * Receipts from Native-land-development schemes, £6(57,(il5; grant from Consolidated Fund, £177 000 • and sundries, £1,801.