NATIVE RATING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 67, 21 March 1938, Page 8

NATIVE RATING.

EAST COAST PROBLEM. AMENDING LEGISLATION SOUGHT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) TOKOMARU BAY, Saturday. "Believing that by united effort, and by united effort only, eatisfactory amending legislation can be obtained, this council asks for your co-operation " wrote tie Cook County Council to the Waiapu County Council regarding native rating. The letter stated that at considerable expense the Cook County Council had made a determined effort to test the efficacy of the provisions of the Batinc Act, 1925, relating to the collection of native rates. Application for the enforcement of charging orders bad been lodged in the case of 184 native blocks. The interpretation of several sections of the Act had been obtained after an appeal to, the Native Appellate Court, and the presentation of a case stated to the Supreme Court. The effect of the decision was that once a charging order had been granted the Native Land Court had no power to remit rates the subject matter of the charging order, and could not refuse to appoint a receiver unless it took an alternative and vested the land in the Native Trustee for sale. "It is felt," stated the letter, "that if all local bodies interested in the problem would immediately press on with applications for enforcement of charging orders, pressure would be brought to bear on the Government to bring forward satisfactory amending legislation, tlie form of which, we understand, has already been considered .and approved by several Government Departments. Unless a concerted and sustained effort is made immediately, it is felt that the Government will fail to take action." The clerk said ne had already commenced the work outlined in the letter. "I firmly believe," he added, "that if we fro ahead with the charging orders it will have au excellent effect on the payment of native rates."

The council endorsed the action of the Cook County Council.