NATIVE RATES PROBLEM

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LIII, Issue 8683, 10 September 1924, Page 5

NATIVE RATES PROBLEM

UNE WAV OUT

lie iami l>»-it !<v tlu* Aiua. ( A !miofi:y » v \ I wd! pav m> rates.’’ ?hi. ntiai (*ld M.wri, of Uka.iaw.l, ixprt'S,- his ■rll •m. -111 . n t!»,. rat-'i'l.-rH'U wjloll v 111 a) in ;J„. ff a . a ■ i a Ui-ur: sonia time . A i , i t ills case w,• s hoard ,o ! i’t - lutviintr <f the {Tawora ( i nnly ( < t !li • other dav, "ii' I! *’n -vuniy rlork (Mr ,r. \v, n.ir-.iiui;) was reporting upon the 1 ! i<■ 011 > * made wnfi '.ha eoileetion (,t iat< v 1< in iiio < hdnratt natives I '* at h I;n w11o fi.iv*■ set mi s* r. hilt • pposhion the n.ivii rid- oj raies i< l-. ;a ; p n dv, Mr TTardiny said she order of f ho >’(iuri was t ,. mipiis, n To Kawhitj !l ' r _ atToars . f rates ,>mount anj toWiien rho o> tisiah I .' visited i’ Vl 'Y ■' '>'• ’ the warra.nl h'Jh :!!h ' Rawhili had prepared : ' 5n!S( lj ’ *• tro to -a,d. ?j, iiT ,:o R purpose would lv M'rv.rl miprismtinrr r | 1(l ( 'hl ftf nor p -, n . otlior plan was adopiod, am? tbrv dostraint upon iRa whiti’s caf•.ie. When tTvoon.sfahlr* fold T?.a- ---" !i• n that In* would not send h*m f'> prison, hut would lake his oafR*' it ho did pa. a”. Rawhiti replied ■- > • wallv, “When you lake them T will L'ot some more.*’

The cattle were taken to- thr sale, <'<'ntnmt’<l Mr ITarding. and thorn was a huge crowd of M anrls present, svhi^'li -hewed f h♦* interest attached t‘- the- case. T}|is was the tlrsf: procedure of the kind lie had hoard: oi. The cattle realised .£'ls more than the debt of .£l5O, and the procedure proved most successful, and was having a wonderful moral effect upon the natives. T"nf 17 tl’o cattle were actually taken the natives of Okaiawa were, jubilant, because they thought the local body «’a< afraid to send ‘Rawhifi to gaol. With reference to the ecllection of native rates, the clerk submit!,ed a letter he had written to- the lion. A T. Ngata.

“T have found it most difficult to 'Tidmv fecal natives to pay rates, as they seem under the impression that their rates are automatically paid by the Native Trustee. We also' have to contend witV some Te Whit bites, who simply will not pay, even after extreme measures have been instituted against, them. T have registered several liens against native lands for overdue rates, hut T find this to be a. cumbersome and costly procedure, with no pn-speds of ultimate satisfaction. I suggest that file- Native Trustee he given the necessary power (e, pav rates on behalf of ad natives in win se land he is inferesfed, and tc make tie - rates a ohargo against the rent. If this wore done tlie council would be prepared to pan a reasonable commission.” 'M also- wish.” (he letter continued. ‘ f fe bring under vour notice Ihe question of rating Maori pas. with their nominated owners and. occupiers, which have proved eve?) more troublesome owing to the multiplicity of interested natives $ flic uselessness rf liens. T suggest that Maori pas be brought- under the provisions of customary lands, a.s provided in (lie Native Land Art*, 1008. which course would ♦•xen:/ such lands from rating and obviate the necessity ef stuffing our rate hooks with unci.lleetable rates.” Taranaki Nous.