NATIVE RATES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 296, 13 December 1940, Page 8

NATIVE RATES.

WHANGAREI PROBLEM.

REPRESENTATIONS TO MINISTER.

(0.C.) WHANG AREI, this day. The position of the Whangarei County Council regarding native rates, as outlined to the Minister of Education, the H. (J. li. Mason, when he was visiting Whangarei, was the subject of reports by the chairman of the council. Mr. J. A. S. MacKay, at the meeting of the council to-dnv.

With Mr. A. Clark, said the chairman, he had waited on the Minister and pointed out unfair aspects of native reading and rating. A large portion of native land was under the Native Consolidation scheme, and revenue from such land was covered by a lie.n by the Department. Xative land could not possibly be developed without roading, and it was unfair to expect the European population to pay for roads for the benefit of natives. The Minister had been informed that the council would not be able to continue maintenance unless the Government made available money to the council or money paid by natives through the petrol tax. It was unfair that revenue paid by the native* for use of roada should be commandeered by the Government for the benefit of the Consolidated Fund. The Bailwfy Department expected that all revenue should be paid into that Department, but revenue for roading went largely to the Consolidated Fund.

In receiving the council's representations the minister had been sympathetic and had undertaken to bring the question before his colleagues.

Mr. A. Clark considered that the council should write to the Minister of Xative Affairs reminding him of the representation* made to Mr. Mason.

The council adopted the suggestion,