NATIVE RATES

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 143, 14 December 1933, Page 10

NATIVE RATES

REPORT OF COMMITTEE

LEGISLATION THIS YEAR

CABINET'S DECISION

Designed to overcome growing difficulties connected ""with the collection of Natives rates in New Zealand, a series of recommendations, some of them involving the passage of legislation this session, has been submitted to the Government by the special committee which during the recess exhaustively investigated the problem of Native rating liability. Cabinet has adopted the report of the committee, which was composed of the Hon. A. D. McLeod, M.P. for Wairarapa, and Messrs. E. N. Jones and J. H. Eeid, and will immediately promote legislation in accordance with the findings. The main propositions are as under:— (1) There are no sound reasons why Natives on lands already reasonably developed should not pay full rates. (2) A statutory charge against the revenue from the land should be introduced. (3) In addition, in the case of hospital liability, increased subsidies should be granted to districts serving large Native populations. (4) After reasonable provision has been made for living expenses of Natives on development schemes (the progress of which is highly commended), at least 50 per cent, of the rates should be the next charge against the land or-produce, progressively increasing until development is attained. ( (5) Wider use should be made of the authority to exempt unoccupied lands that have no rateable value. (6) The charging-order system applicable to lands within borough and town district limits should secure to the local body up to 50 per cent, of the rates annually levied. (7) Befusal to pay rates because road access is not provided to individual holdings is not justified. The report of the committee was tabled in the House this afternoon. EXTENSIVE INQUIRY. The committee held meetings and heard evidence from local authority and Native representatives at Wairoa, Gisborne, Tolaga Bay, Te Puia, Buatoria, Te Araroa, Opotiki, Whakatane, Tauranga, Eotorua,' Te Aroha, Paeroa, Thames, Whangarei, Kawakawa, Kaco, Ngaruawahia, Hamilton, To Awamutu, Te Kuiti, Taumarunui, Waitara, Hawera, Wanganui, and Levin. In addition, other North Island authorities interested were communicated with, and a number of Native settlement and development schemes inspected. From a close examination of figures and balance-sheets placed before us by various local bodies, the report states, it is quite apparent that by re.ason of non-payment of Native rates, together with the non-payment of Native rates on certain Crowncontrolled lands occupied by Europeans, several local authorities, particularly within the Auckland pro- ' vince, are' finding it extremely difficult to carry on. Without doubt in that province this is tending to strengthen a widespread demand that rural lands bo entirely derated for reading and hospital requirements. As a result of its investigation, the committee is satisfied that in a number of counties there are considerable areas of Native land with no rateable value. Little use appears to have been made of the statutory provision for the removal of such lands from valuation rolls and exempting them from rateability. It is suggested that the Native Department, acting in conjnetion with the Valuation Department and the local authorities, should make a much wider use of the relevant legislation. LANDS WELL SERVED. Satisfied that the great bulk of Native occupied or oecupiable land is as well served by roads and bridges as the land of Europeans who are paying rates in the same localities, the committee points out that many Native holdings on which in recent years practically no rates have been paid have highways running through or fronting them, and says it is unfair that European ratepayers alone should be compelled to pay the rates required for the construction and maintenance of such roads. "After full and careful consideration," the report adds, "we find no reasonable ground for the Natives refusing to pay rates because of the failure of'local authorities to provide road access to each individual holding. Many of the individual Native holdings are of so small an area as to be incapable of supporting a. family, and the provision of actual road access to them is an economic impossibility. "Very small blocks, particularly on the hilly country of the Poverty Bay district, if farmed by Natives, must be done on community or family lines. Even then the construction of purely access roads must be a charge on the land or .a responsibility of the Crown." DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES. ' Beferring to Native development schemes, the report says the committee was greatly impressed by the progress made in most of the projects. In its opinion similar schemes should be brought into operation, with advantage to the country and the Natives themselves! However, although much use was being made of the roads and other facilities already provided or maintained by local bodies, no rates were being paid on the land included in the schemes, and there was a tendency to treat the lands as Crown areas and exempt from payment. This, in the opinion of the committee, apart from being unfair to local authorities, is not helping to' educate Natives in one of the first essentials of citizenship. The committee cites the caso of one holding which when leased to a European met rent and full rates; taken over by the Native Department as a base for a development scheme it paid no rates. Although the' Department admits the justice of rates being paid, the committee says it is understood there are technical difficulties in the way of payment. The committee notes several instances where the Native Department advanced finance to several indivdual Natives under its control for the further development of their holdings; and although the Department takes 100 per cent, orders, over, production and allows the Natives living expenses out of it, usually it does not contribute anything toward the rates until' the Crown is fully recouped for the interest on advances made. The committee says it is in agreement with the contention of local authorities that provision should be made for the payment of a proportion of rates on development lands, and recommends that, after reasonable provision is made for living expenses, at least 50 per cent, of the rates be the next charge against the land or produce, progressively increasing annually until such time as each holding is fully developed. UNJUST POLICY. "We know of no sound reason why Natives, as well as Europeans, should not also pay full rates," states thje

committee in dealing with Native occupied lands that are already reasonably developed. "No convincing reasons were advanced by Natives themselves, and data submitted on behalf of a number of county councils proves that full use is being made of the facilities local bodies provide. Unless the State is prepared to meet fully the responsibility for Native rates, it is unjust that a policy of nonpayment by Natives should cast the liability on European ratepayers of particular districts. "Now that consolidation or individualisation of Natives titles has reached the stage it has, we arc of opinion that a closer co-ordination between the yaluation Department, the Native Department, and the Native Land Court is required. Local authorities periodically pay large amounts to the Valuation Department for correct valuation rolls, and they are entilied to more information regarding Native holdings than they are now receiving. If full use of tho powers' given tho Court to protect the vo*ing rights of Natives were innde use of it would be of great assistance to locaj bodies. At present page after page of valuation rolls appears with the word 'Natives' in the occupier's column. We recommend this phase be further investigated." IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED. Within recent years, the committee observes, the collecting of an appreciable amount of Native rates has been an impossibility with many local bodies. The charging order system against land has hopelessly broken down. No local body, however urgently in need of revenue, desires to see Natives dispossessed of their lands, and it is certain, the committee holds, that no Government could stand by and watch Native land generally being compulsorily disposed of for rate liabilities. A heavy responsibility will, however, be thrown upon the State, or a weighty load cast on a section of the ratepayers already overburdened, if something effective, even if unusual, is not quickly attempted in the direction of ensuring payment of Native land rates being provided for. A number of responsible authorities affected state that they would be satisfied during the depression with the payment by Natives of 50 per cent, of the rates levied, provided payment were assured or guaranteed. Others just as strongly protest that it would be unreasonable to allow, many Native landholders, who are Europeans in every sense of the word, to escape payment of any portion of their rates. After very careful consideration, , : the committee adds, we are of opinion that a statutory charge against the revenue from the land shohld be introduced. If this suggestion proves impracticable, we can suggest no other likely to be of value. A charge against dairy produce should not be difficult of application and collection, and against other forms of production for which the use of roads and bridges is a necessity, not impossible. We therefore recommend that competent officers of the Treasury and Law Drafting Departments investigate the matter, and if it is found practicable, we recommend that amending legislation bo introduced accordingly. HOSPITAL TREATMENT. According to the committee, the problem of Native liability to hospitals and charitabfe institutions is becoming more difficult each year. In the early stages Natives were suspicious of hospital treatment, but now are making full use of the facilities offered. Natives are largely settling in localities where the climate suits them and where food supplies are more readily available. The result is that in some hospital districts, holding a large Native population, the burden is becoming more than the European ratepayers can carry. In addition to the means suggested for the collection of rates, the committee recommends that consideration be given to the granting of increased subsidies to those hospital districts serving the requirements of a large Native population. On the ground that little or no saleable produce is derived from Native land situated within borough or town district limits, the committee states that it can suggest no practicable alter-! native to the present charging order gys-j tern. The committee, however, recommends that some less expensive and less cumbersome charging order method! should be" framed; securing to local authorities up to 50 per cent, of the rates - annually levied against Native lands. ' When the Native Eating Amendment Bill was brought' down in the House of Eepresentatives this, afternoon, the Minister of Native Affairs (the Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata) said the Bill gave effect to the report of' the special committee on Native land rating. The most important provision was that which enabled the local bodies-to collect some proportion of their rates through the realisation of produce. Another provision related to the collection of rates under the Government • development scheme. . v The Bill was read a second time pro forma and referred to the Native Affairs Committee.