RATES ON MAORI LANDS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 506, 13 May 1909, Page 8

RATES ON MAORI LANDS.

"IMPOSSIBLE TO COLLECT- THEM." iDY TKLEOBAPH—rBESS ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, May 12. A conference of representatives of oounty councils, which have largo areas of JJative lands within their 'boundaries, was 'held today for the purpose of discussing tho ineffectiveness of the' provisions of the Rating Act of 1904 in regard to tho rating of Native lands. Tho conference had bfeen convened by the Raglan County Council, which, for two years, attempted to collect the rates from tho Native owners within that county. In tho two years tho council was able to collect only £7 odd, and wrote off no less a sum than £2936. ' Tho Act provides that when , a judgment is obtained on rates against a Native owner it cannot bo enforced without the consent of the Native Minister, and it was stated 'that, in allcases in which this corisont had been sought, it had for various reasons been refused. Some of the other' representatives stated that-thoir councils had not attempted-'to collect tho rates on Nativo lands, as they recognisod that it was impossible to' do so. Tho opinion was expressed by several speakers that tho question was inseparable from the general Native land question, and that tho solution was to bo found in'the removal of the present restrictions on Nativo lands, and tho placing of the Natives on the same footing as Europeans, possessing the samo privileges and sharing the samo responsibilities. , . A resolution was agreed to drawing the attention tho Government to the defective legislation, and asking that a remedy bo provided.'