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. STAFF 110. As at 31st March, 1950, the personnel of the Department numbered 677 compared with 627 at this time in 1949. This total does not include the Chief Judge and the six Judges of the Maori Land Court who are not officers of the Department. Details are as follows, the corresponding figure for 1949 being shown in parenthesis : Clerical Staff — Permanent .. .. 443 (409) Temporary .. .. 18 (24) ;• - 461 (433) Field StaffPermanent .. .. 163 (138) Temporary .. .. 53 (56) 216 (194) 677 (627) 111. The increase was made necessary by expansion of activity, particularly in the Land Settlement and Building Divisions. This has meant an increase m field staff in District Field Supervisors and District Building Supervisors, and the appointment of technical men on the building side such as Maintenance Inspectors. The clerical side, although the increase is not proportionately so great, also reflects the growth of work. Recruitment in some areas outside Wellington has been easier and a number of vacancies were filled, but it is still difficult to obtain experienced clerical staff. 112. As at 31st March, 1950, there were 196 Maori officers on the staff of the Department —i.e., approximately 28*7 per cent, of the staff. 113. To help in the work of consolidating titles of Maori land, two full-time Commissioners of the Maori Land Court were appointed during the year. These Commissioners are — . . Mr. N. W. Smith, formerly Deputy Maori Trustee, and now Commissioner at Rotorua ; and Mr. M. Y. Bell, formerly Deputy Registrar, and now Commissioner at Auckland. 114. Mr. J. H. Watson retired from the position of Deputy Registrar, Gisborne, on 28th February, 1950. FINANCES The following table summarizes the financial transactions of the Department during the year : 1

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1 Total Payments. | Total Receipts. Consolidated Fund— Civil List (Maori Purposes) Special Acts : Payments in respect of confiscated lands (Arawa, Ngaitahu, Taranaki, and WaikatoManiapoto) Vote " Maori Affairs " Recoveries from Maori Trustee, Maori Land Boards, and miscellaneous receipts Court fees £ 6,279 27,000 461,162 £ 28,718 8,297 Sub-totals Land Settlement Account: Maori Land settlement, housing, and rehabilitation loans 494,441 2,053,643 37,015 1,415,486 Total, State funds Maori Trust and Maori Land Boards 2,548,084 1,235,101 1,452,501 1,254,187