NATIVE INTERESTS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 11, 7 October 1927, Page 18

NATIVE INTERESTS

RATE COLLECTION PROBLEM ACTION UNDESIRABLE” RETENTION OF STATE SUPERVISION The necessity for the retention by the State of very careful supervision over Native lands was emphasised by the Minister of Native Affairs (Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates') when replying yesterday ' to a deputation of delegates repi resenting North island counties - which approached him in connection with the problem of collect- ; ing native rates. The case for the deputation, which ini eluded members of Parliament, was that ' large amounts were being lost annually ’ by counties in the North Island through the non-payment of native rates, in--1 quiries showing that the total amount, as far as 45 districts wore concerned, was £42,000. The amount of native ; rates outstanding on the books of the same counties as at March 31 last was £lBO,OOO, which did not take in account large amounts written off from time to tfme. The deputation suggested the , idoptiou of a system similar to that Jstablished by the Crown .and Native ' Lands Rating Act, 1892, which provided that all native lands in boroughs should be on exactly the same footing as Euro--pean lands were for rating purposes and that the rates levied on native lands i hatside the borough should be paid by ; the Colonial Treasurer direct to the local body interested. This, it was contcndrd, would obviate the difficulties and the losses to an individual local body, and ; tho liability would be a. national one which could be handled in any way acceptable to tho people of Now Zealand. : Sir Apirana Ngafa said' he -wanted to appreciate tho difficulties from the local body, standpoint so that a fair thing could bo arrived at; A good deal of the difficulty was caused through titles not being in a position which enabled the natives to htiliso the lands. . No ; doubt they had to work to the point I where tho law for both would bo equal, provided the conditions were the same, ' \ but they had never been tho same. Minister’s Reply. •The Minister said the'deputation, as the result of tires discussion, would real- ! ise one or two of tho difficulties tliat existed in bringing about a satisfactory hold practical, yet fair, arrangement as [ , between the pakeha owner and the Native owner. 'Discussion had revealed the unfairness of suddenly giving practical effect to what the deputation was ! asking for. Ono instance was the suggested abolition of the Native Minister’s right of veto, which had been used in two cases only—one an obvious case, While the other was still pending. If practical effect were given to the proposals it would leave the matter in the hands of the local bodies, and that would create a state of affairs that would shock the whole of New Zealand. Hundredsof thousands of acres of Native-owned land would be placed on the market, and that was not what the people of the Dominion' would ask for at all. "Such precipitate action,” said tha Minister, ‘‘would not be in the interests of. the country to begin with, and cet; tainly not in the interests of the Maori people. For that reason alone it is necessary that very careful supervision , should be retained by the State—the ' Native Minister in this" case.” Classification of Laws. ' Tn the opinion of the Minister practically every county council in New Zealand should adopt the method employed bv ths Hawke’s Bay County Council—a careful classification of lands. The first thing was to get down to a basis and ascertain tho position of the land and the difficulties in connection .with it. whether it, affected the Native or tho land itself. Assisted by the members of Parliament representing the Native race, and other members who were seized with the difficulties of the question, tho Government was trying to work out a solution that would be fair to the Maori, aud would at the same time see that gradually and definitely jthe Native rare would have to take un exactly tho same burden as the pakeha; and as those difficulties disappeared, there would come one law for both races. Suggestions were welcomed, but it would be unfair for him to agree to authorise nil the native land referred to bv the deputation to be placed on the market. Ho could not agree, either, to the State cashing charging orders. Mr. JI. M. Campbell, M.P., expressed pleasure with the Minis!Vs statement that he was not going to do anything unfair to the Natives. The Dominion had had a sacred trust handed to it. and in the development of the country the Maoris should be treated with every Possible fairness. He thought the solution of the rating problem was through individualisation. “I would rather have outstanding rates,” added Mr. Campbell. ’Than have it stated, later on that we lave done an unfair thing to the Natives.” ■The deputation agreed Io the suggestion of the Prime Minister to con fer ■with a committee of members of Parliament and the departmental officers interested, and submit the results of the Conference to the Government.