THE NATIVE LAND BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2561, 23 July 1909, Page 3

THE NATIVE LAND BOARD.

[To. this Editor.]

Sir, —It is some time ago., since .attention Avas .drawn, through the columns of your newspaper, to the waste of public money in the upkeep of the branch of the Native Department in Gisborne, when your correspondent, “Dreadnought,” commented upon the princely salary Mr. Keefer Avas drawing for presiding in state, once a month over the meetings of the Tai Rawhiti Board (£4oo'per annum), and it is a surprise tp me that his letter, Avhich disclosed a very unsatisfactory state of affairs, Avas received so calmly. On all sides we hear of valued officers Avboso services are being dispensed Avith, of the retrenchment in tho Government, railway shops, printing offices, etc., AA’hilo it is admitted that tlie railAvay rolling, stock is not adequate for one half the volume of traffic; nevertheless hands are being sacked by tlio score. Yet this gentleman still continues to preside over this hoiloAV sham, the. Maori Board, and -to draw a salary iherefor that Avould suffice to keep at least three of these useful artisans in employment, instead of their having to be thrown out at tlie very AA T orst season of the year. As it has been already pointed out, the appointment of Mr. Keefer' over the heads of every civil servant in Gisborne Avas nothing short of scandalous, but to retain him when •the Government are skimping in every other branch of the service, \vhon men of Judge Sim’s ability are being sacrificed in the interests of economy, though the business of the country is thereby hung up indefinitely and the Waiapu lands still remain “tapu”—can' only be described as unjustifiable. There is some secret to account for such a state of affairs, and the sooner the matter is sifted in Parliament, as it -will be most surely sifted’ there, tlie better.. If this, highly paid officer even had. the saving grace of a knoAvledge of Maori, it, at least, Avould have been some explanation to offer ( the public ; but even this cannot be put forward as an excuse, for Mr. Keefer knows as much of the Maori language as he does of Assyrian, so that at every sitting of this learned bodv —an interpreter’s services have to be requisitioned, “and paid for bv the Government,” in order that Mr. Otone Petau, the Native gentleman Avho graces a seat on tins august tribunal, will he able to discuss fully, with Mr. Keefer, the very knotty law points that arise during the course ,of their__ deliberations. The retaining of Mr. Keefer’s valued services at such a period is on a par with Mr. Carroll’s retention of the services of Dr. Pomare and tho Maori sanitary inspectors, when men like Dr. Mason have to go. HoA\ r ever, as all these matters will no doubt receive full attention when Sir Joseph Ward graciously alloivs jiarliament to re-assemble, and when it is hoped that some one will pry into the corners of this mysterious Native Department—which everyone save the Native Minister and Mr. Ngata is agreed has failed to justify its existence—4 will , trespass no further on your space, but aAvait—- . “HANSARD.”