NATIVE LANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 142, 19 June 1933, Page 3

NATIVE LANDS.

PROBLEM OF RATING.

COMMISSION AT TE KUITI.

HEAVY BURDEN ON EUROPEANS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) TE KUITI, Saturday. The Xative Rating Commission, comprising the Hon. A. D. McLeod, M.P., Judge Jones, chief judge of the Xative Land Court aiuK Native Trustees, and Mr. J. H. Rcid, chairman of the Opotiki County Council, opened a sitting in the Municipal Chambers to-day. Representatives were present from Waitomo and Otorohanga County Councils, To Kuiti Borough Council and Otorohanga Town Board, Mangawhero, YVaipa and Mangapu Drainage Boards, and other representative.-; of tin? native interests. Mr. F. C. Perry, clerk for the Waitomo County, submitted information. He said the Waitomo county contained an aiva of about 710.100 acres, with a gross capital value of £2,820.07-1 and gross unimproved value of .€1.190.250. The occupied area had a capital value of £2,585,594 and unimproved value of £1.035,001, the value of improvements being £1.540.033. The Waitomo council rates on the unimproved values. The area of native land totalled 180.000 acres, with a capital value of £577.718 and unimproved value of £303.523, the value of improvements being £274,195. There were some 72.000 acres under lease to Europeans. Although occupied by Europeans, this area still remained native land, but the rates came under the European \\<t. The capital value was £272.947. the unimproved £115,507. and improvements £157,380. Another 72,000 acres were under native occupation. The capital value was £207,875. the unimproved £151,002. and the improvements £11G,815. Of this area, little more than about half the 72.000 acres was in actual occupation. * The present ratable value (unimproved) of the native occupied lands totalled £180.000. The annual rates averaged £4500. Excepting for the sum received in 1925, when a compromise was made, the amount of native rates paid in the county had been negligible. At the time of the compromise about £20,000 was owing. That figure, the clerk explained, represented six years only. In consequence of the native rates being uncollectable, a sum equivalent to the amount of native nates had been added each year to the European ratepayers. This had meant that the Europeans had been saddled with about £4500 each year, including about £400 for hospital" levy and over £1900 for special loan rates, representing in all an additional rate of one penny in the £1. If the native rates had been collected last year, the revenue required to be raised from European settlers womd have been £22,000 instead of £20,000.

The council made the following suggestions to the commission:—That native lands be classified under three heads: (1) Land in occupation, (2) land capable of occupation, and (3) land incapable of occupation. Class 1 to be subject to the rating machinery _ the same as European land, whether individualised or not. Class 2 to be on the same basis as unoccupied Crown land— exempt from rating, excepting special loan rate, for which such land had become liable; the loss to be borne; by the Consolidated Fund. Mr. W. J. Broadfoot, M.P., Mayor, explained that previous to the compromise in 1928 the Te Kuiti Borough Council had obtained 90 charging orders against land for rates through the Xative Land Court. Recently 13 orders had again been secured. Mr. R. W. Xeal pointed out that there'were 29 natives in the Piopio district supplying the dairy factory, who for the ten months of last season had supplied 72,0001b of buttcrfat, an average of 25001b per native. This meant about £100 worth of butterfat. The factory had first call ou this for supplies from its store, which was conducted on co-operative lines. He did not think it would be practicable to collect rates from butterfat cheques. _ Mr. F. O. R. Phillips, representing the Otorohanga county and town board, made some suggestions as to the collection of native rates through the medium of the Xative Land Court. At the close of the sitting the chairman thanked those present for the information tabled. On the East Coast, in the Far North, and now in the King Country, they had learned the many different encountering conditions, which faced three different sets of people with three separate needs to be met. The chairman indicated that the work of the commission would not be completed for at least a month.