G.—9.

taken over by the Board as from Ist June, 1938. Payments to beneficiaries increased by £1,1.92, but receipts from rents, &c., diminished by £2,249. Receipts and payments on behalf of the East Coast Commission show a decrease. The accounts of the Wi Pere Trust were transferred to the Tairawhiti office as from Ist July, and the administrative work of this trust is now undertaken by the office. Particulars of the Board's financial transactions and its investments are as follows Total Receipts. £ For year ended 31st March, 1939 .. •• •• •• •• 105,727 For year ended 31st March, 1938 .. .. •• •• •• 95,689 Increase .. .. ■• •• • • ■ ■ • • £10 > 038 I Total Expenditure. £ For year ended 31st March, 1939 .. .. •• •• •• 107,557 For year ended 31st March, 1938 .. .. •• •• 9/,858 Increase .. .. • • ■ • • ■ • • .. £9, 699 (These figures exclude Native Trust stations and housing.) Board Investments, 31st March, 1939. £ Government securities .. • • • • • • • • .. 51, 923 On deposit with Native Trustee .. .. • • • • • • 1,642 Advances on mortgages, charges, &c. •• •• •• 66,916 Anaura Station loans .. • • • • • • • • .. 17, 462 Advances on overdraft to blocks, &c. Advances on security of Waikaremoana debentures .. .. • • 982 Native Trust Stations. Receipts for period Ist June, 1938, to 31st March, 1939 . . .. 11,393 Payments for period Ist June, 1938, to 31st March, 1939 .. •. 8,832 Indigent Housing. Receipts for year ended 31st March, 1939 .. .. • • • • 196 Expenditure for year ended 31st March, 1939 .. .. •• •• 2,774 Five applications to the Board for advances were granted, involving a total amount of £2,890. Maori Welfare. During the year under review the social conditions of Maoris in the Tairawhiti district have shown a marked improvement, mainly by reason of the income afforded by the Public Works Department's activities and unemployment-relief contracts. The liquor question, however, has become accentuated. The legal restrictions against the sale of liquor for consumption away from licensed premises are proving extremely difficult to enforce. It was hoped that the various village committees and Maori Councils would have been able to exercise more effective control, but this has not proved'to be the case. Other Activities. —The office has assisted the Education Department in its endeavours to locate suitable sites for Native schools, residences, and communal buildings, and the provisions of the Native Land Act have been utilized for the setting-aside of areas for these purposes. Assistance is still being rendered to the Lands and Deeds Department in the reconstruction of land-transfer titles and records which were lost in the Hawke's Bay earthquake. This involves extra duty not only for expert Court Clerks, but also for Draughtsmen in the preparation and copying of diagrams and plans of land affected. The machinery of the Court has been availed of in assisting Natives in the completion of claims for pensions and supplying certificates regarding marriages of Natives and particulars of names and dates of births of children where such marriages and births have not been registered. Details of landed interests owned by applicants for pensions and particulars of revenue drawn through the Board are being supplied both for pension and unemployment-relief purposes. Searches for the purpose of social-security benefits will certainly add to this work. Court procedure has had to be relied upon more- than ever to assist other branches of the Department in their efforts to further Native land settlement and Native housing.

11