NATIVE LANDS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 188, 11 May 1928, Page 12

NATIVE LANDS

POSITION AT OTAKI CASE FOR MAORIS HIGH FEELING AT COMMISSION Dominion Special Service. Otaki, May 10. The Otaki Rating Commission sat again to-day, the greater part of the business being in connection with the native view of the rating system. Many of tlie Maori population were present, and the proceedings were followed with the greatest of interest, feeling running very high at certain stages.

Mr. G. P. Shepherd, who appeared for the Native Affairs Department, stated that it would be contended by the Borough Council that its present position was largely due to the nonpayment of native rates. It must be admitted that tlie position had been accentuated by that fact: but there were two sides to the question, as would presently be shown. He spoke on the subject of a committee to deal with the question of consolidation of interests of natives in order to place the position of payment of rates on a better footing. Jn the case of tlie Otaki Borough, the lands were not subject to consolidation proceedings, but it was Mr. Shepherd's earnest hope that the Commission would see tlie necessity and justice for introducing a spirit of compromise with regard to the rates owing on Native lands in Otaki. -He hoped that the Commission would, in consequence, recommend that all arrears of Native rates be remitted under Section 113 of tlie Rating Act, 1925, and exemption from future loans be granted until, say, March 31, 1930, in order to give the Natives an opportunity of saving the remnants of their ancestral lands in the place, which, in former times, was one of the tribal headquarters of the Ngati Raukawa tribe, whose great and mighty chief, Te Rauparaha, played a most picturesque part in the early history of the colonisation of New. Zealand.

Mr. Shepherd stated that the Commission had ample powers to review the question of Native lauds In the Otaki Borough, and to do for it what thu committee, to which he referred previouslj", was doing in other localities where it was operating.

Prior to the establishment of the town district, added Mr. Shepherd. Native lands in Otaki were subject to half rates only, but by the Rating Amendment Act, 1910,’ all Native freehold land was made liable to rating in the same manner as European land, with certain exceptions. The constitution of the Otaki town district imposed a real . burden upon Native lands consequent upon the increased administrative costs, and tlie extension of the town road, streets, am other conveniences of life which were ot more benefit to the pakeha than to the ' “The borough of Otaki seems to hav e been created in an atmosphere ot debt, said Mr. Shepherd, who then pointed out that it was obvious that the persons sponsoring the establishment of the borough recognised that the Natives would be unable to pay tlie increased rates, and that they must not look forward to obtaining additional rates from them. Rates had increased on Native lands, but the ability o£ the Natives to pay the increased rates had not improved. The position to-day was such that the Natives must inevitably lose their lands, unless some check were placed upon the power of the borough to levy rates upon their lands, or unless some compromise were arrived at by which Native lands might bo relieved of the burden of present arrears of rates, and some real concession made with regard to future rates. In conclusion, Mr. Shepherd contended

that the present incidence of rates on Native lands in Otaki was so high, and the potential revenue of the land so low, that to continue to levy the present high rates upon the lands looked rcniarkabljlike confiscation in a most insidious form. Evidence of a Chief. ilfter Mr. Shepherd had stated his views, evidence was given by Rere Nikitini (Nlcho.son). a chief of the Ngiiu Raukawa tribe, and a farmer in the district. The evidence was given per medium of an interpreter, Mr. Kingi Tahiwi.who stated that although Nikitini could speak English very well, he preferred to give evidence in his own tongue, in which he could more adequately express technical points. ... , . Witness stated that he had lived in the district since he was a baby, and gave an historical review of the steps that led up to the formation, of the borough. lie

said that he was one of the farmers who objected to the borough boundary being taken out towards the foot of the hills. Since then his objection had not nagged one bit. „ _ , The chairman (Mr. R. M. Watson, S.M.), indicated that, so far as he knew, there was no question being raised as to the possibility of extending the boundary across the railway line. Mr. M. Luckie (appearing for the farming community) stated that the railway line had been made the boundary owing to representations made by the Racing Club, whose land lay beyond the line. The chairman said that the possibilitjof including a small residential area across the railway line might be considered bj- the Commission. Witness strongly objected to the Pahianui block being included in the borough, as it was not fit for settlement purposes. and was subject to floods. He considered that it would be an injustice to levy rates on that land, which was more or less useless, and received no benefits from the operations of the Borough Council. It was formerly a river bed. The reason given by for his coming to give evidence at the Commission was to ask for the. exclusion of the Pahianui block. He was acting as trustee for his brother's land. Witness also asked for the exclusion from the borough of the Titokitoka block, which he described as waste, land and sand hills. He then mentioned the havoc played bj- sand blown from the sandhills

on to the nearby land. Mr. Shepherd: Possibly the Commission will understand fully what witness means if thej- turn I heir thoughts to Lyall Bay. where; when (he wind comes from I he'south, tho land is up against the north fences, and when it blows from tho north is up against the south fences. Mr. AV. Nash (a member of the Commission) : I suppose one sends the rate notices after the laud. ( Laughter.) "Borough Like a Broken-down Cai-.” ..Witness said that, to him tho borough was like a motor-car which had broken down mid run out. of benzine when u hundred miles from any garage. He asked that the Government write off the native rates and that the Govern-

ment pav them. ’The lands belonged to his ancestors and had been cultivated since the arrival of the Maoris hero. He had hoard someone say al the Commission, "AVhy did the Maoris eomo hero?" Ill's answer was, "AVhy did the Europeans come here? lie said that the land was won by his ancestors by conquest, mid was settled on by them buck in IS2G. If the native lands were confiscated the Maori settlers would be pJtu-ed much in the same position as other native races in other parts of tho world. If the worst came, thojmighl. go as far as to nppl.v to the Native Minister to have the hinds sold. The natives, added witness, did not .apply for exemption from rates that were properly levied, but from those on lands which 'did not benefit them in any

■wav. Nikitini was firmly of opinion that the people had better roads when the Horowhenua County controlled them than they had now. He then informed the Commission that he was quite aware of the fact that a number of Europeans had not paid their rates. In view of certain circumstances which had arisen several of the natives were not in a position to pay their rates. Incidentally, the rates were rising to such an extent that the natives would goon be unable to pay them. He strongly advocated the abolition of the borough, and thought that the natives—and everyone else—would benefit more by being under the jurisdiction of the Horowhenua County Council, whose officers were experienced men. “I am not, he added, “casting any reflections on the officers of the Otaki Borough CouuC * Witness said that he recognised that after the war there would naturally ba a slump, but pointed out that the greater proportion of the unemployed tn Otaki were Maoris who, through lack of work, could not pay their rates. He then suggested that if the native t’ 3 -*-®® were written off, the Government could take over unoccupied lands and pay the rates out of the rents. He thought that if relief were given, future rates jvould be paid. Value of a Guarantee. Mr. Atmore (appearing for the Otaki Borough Council) asked whether the Natives would guarantee the payment of rates, and if so, what the guarantee would be worth. AVitness replied that it would, bo worth the same as a guarantee given previously by tho Mayor that the rates would not go up. (Laughter.) In answer to Mr; Atmore s question as-to whether the Natives would be willing to accept other lands outside the Borough in return for those within its boundaries. Nikitini became most indignant, and cried out: “That is the worst thing you could ever say to a Maori. I was always under the impression that the Maori and the 1 akeba. were as one; (loud cries of “hear, hear, from all the natives present), but trom your question it looks as if you are trying to draw the colour lino.” AVitness then reminded the Commission that though there were lazy Maoris, there wore also a large proportion of lazy Europeans.

Decline in Values. Mr. Luckie explained that natives were unable to dispose of their lands at a price below the Government valuation, .and Nikitini gave instances of the enormous reductions in the values of the lands, and said that it was almost impossible to sell them. He mentioned one case in which nn owner of a block of land was offered £7OO for his land some years ago. Now he could not get £2OO for it. He added that the fact that the railway was so far from the settlement was prejudicial to the interests of the ratepayers. Had Ihe railway gone through the town, the place would have been more prosperous. However. lie understood the railway was put where it was because of vested interests. Mr. Luckie stated that although it was the policj- of the old Town Board to write off rates' when they were hard up. they asked for them again. (Laughter.) Mr. AV. T. Strand (a member of the Commission) asked whether Nikitini favoured a scheme of consolidation and if he thought it would benefit Otaki as it had other districts. AVitness thought that it would be beneficial to a certain extent, the only objection being that the holdings wore too smttll. lie was perfectlj- certain that the Maoris would favour any remedy for overcoming the discrepancies in the borough. from which tho Maoris had receivod no benefits.

Tho next witness was Itiia Hoani Kilteron. a settlor, now resident, at TA lloro. lie said that he was a chief of the Ng;:ti Raukawa tribe, and gave his views on Otaki's progress, and the effects of t l ".* various forms of its administration. Ho srid that Mr. Shepherd’s address praetieall.v covered the. ease for his people. Regarding the rates, he gave an in fance of some land belonging to his mother. AVhon the land was under the jurisdiction of the. County Council she paid £3 a year in 'rates. Under the borough administration she was paying nearly £-19 a year. The area was just ovei an acre. He strongly urged the abolition of tho borough, in the management ej "diich the Maoris had bu± a amoii