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1939. NEW ZEALAND.

NATIVE DEPARTMENT. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE UNDER-SECRETARY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1939.

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. Sir, — Native Department, Wellington, 6th July, 1939. I have the honour to present, herewith the annual report upon the activities of this Department, excluding Native land development and Native housing, which are dealt with in a separate report submitted by the Board of Native Affairs. The report covers the financial year ended 31st March, 1939. I have, &c., 0. N. Campbell, Under-Secretary and Native Trustee. The Right Hon. M. J. Savage, Minister of Native Affairs.

GENERAL REPORT. Departmental activities have been fully maintained during the year, and there has been evidence of further expansion with a resultant increase in staff. As at the 31st March, 1939, the personnel of the Department totalled 369 officers, comprising office staff (182 permanent and 116 temporary) and field staff (8 permanent and 63 temporary). In addition, the farming properties administered by the Native Trustee and the Maori Land Boards as well as the larger Native land development schemes are under the control of managers or foremen who are not included in the above totals. The five district offices of the Department now control fourteen sub-offices established at Kaitaia, Kohukohu, Kaikohe, Whangarei, Paeroa, Hamilton, Te Kuiti, Taumarunui, Tauranga, Whakatane, Tikitiki, Wairoa, Hastings, and Levin. BOARD OF NATIVE AFFAIRS. The Board of Native Affairs, which replaced the Native Land Settlement Board, was established by statute in April, 1935, and held its first meeting in that month. Since its initial meeting and up to the 31st March, 1939, the sittings of the Board have numbered thirty-two and its authorizations have totalled £3,246,527, which sum includes approvals for land development, Native housing, and expenditure on farming operations undertaken by the Native Trustee and the Maori Land Boards, together with the investment of trust funds by these bodies. The practice of the Board regarding Native lands is to approve a programme of work planned with the object of completely developing a property and which may be spread over several years ; consequently, the amount of authorizations passed does not necessarily relate to one particular financial year. During the year under review the Board held eight sittings and passed resolutions involving authorizations totalling £1,093,802. A special report by the Board is published in parliamentary paper G.-10 and covers the following departmental operations over which the Board exercises control —viz., Native land development and assistance to Maori farmers, promotion of employment amongst Maoris, farming activities and investments of the Native Trustee and the Maori Land Boards, and Native housing.

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