Gr.—9

1943. NEW ZEALAND.

NATIVE DEPARTMENT. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE UNDER-SECRETARY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1943.

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

The Under-Secretary, Native Department, to the Hon. the Minister op Native Affairs. Native Department, Wellington, 15th April, 1943. Sir,— I have the honour to present herewith the annual report upon the activities of the 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, 1943. I have, &c., 0. N. Campbell, Under-Secretary and Native Trustee. The Hon. the Minister of Native Affairs.

GENERAL. Notwithstanding war conditions, the various functions of Native administration have been fully maintained, and although there has been no expansion of departmental activities, full co-operation has continued with other Government services which are concerned with the welfare and advancement of the Maori people. Close contact is maintained with the office of the Minister in Charge of the Maori War Effort, and the Department is anxious to aiford assistance to the various tribal committees, their executives, and the Native recruiting officers, which combine to form an effective organization for stimulating enlistments and directing Maori man-power into essential industries. The following statistics show that the Maori population continues to steadily increase, the estimated census at the end of December last being 95,788, as compared with 93,130 for the corresponding month of the previous year, and these returns are exclusive of Natives serving with the armed forces overseas. It is interesting to compare these figures with the records for 1896, when the census revealed a population of only 39,854 members of the race. Legislation sponsored by the Department is contained in the Native Purposes Act, 1942. Three of the clauses effected amendments or additions to the general Native land laws ; the remaining clauses dealt with matters of local interest only. One of the amendments became necessary to resolve a doubt which had been raised as to whether, on the making of an adoption order for a Native child in favour of the European spouse of a Native, the prior adoption order in favour of the Native was not superseded. The amending clause makes it clear that the adopted child can become the foster-child of both parties. Another section conferred power on the Maori Land Boards to expend limited amounts for Maori welfare and similar purposes. The third amendment permits the Board of Native Affairs, in making advances under the Native Housing Act, 1935, to take security over any land owned by the Native borrower other than that upon which the building stands, and over the landed interests of any other Native who derives benefit from the expenditure of the loan-moneys. Picturesque tribal ceremonies were enacted at Rotorua on 25th March, 1943, when the Tama-te-kapua carved meeting-house was officially opened by His Excellency the Governor-General at Ohinemutu. This centennial memorial perpetuates the name of the intrepid navigator of the Arawa canoe which, according to traditional history, brought the ancestors of that great tribe to the shores of New Zealand nearly six centuries ago. It is pleasing to record that the function marked the reconciliation of the Waikato and Arawa people after an estrangement which has lasted for nearly one hundred years, and is significant of the unity now existing amongst the tribes of Maoridom. The requirements of Parliament in regard to special reports and personal attendance on the Native Affairs Committees have been carried out by the administration branch of the Department. In addition to reporting on and appearing in connection with a number of Native petitions, much research work was entailed in connection with an exhaustive inquiry by a special Joint Committee of both Houses into the church trust lands in the Manawatu and Wairarapa districts when the original cessions by Te Rauparaha and other chiefs, and Crown grants made by Sir George Grey, were examined and the reports of earlier Commissions reviewed. Of the five candidates who sat for the Native Interpreters Examination in November, 1941, one secured a pass and one a partial pass. No applications were received in 1942 in time for the usual November examination.

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