RATING LAW

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 144, 15 December 1933, Page 11

RATING LAW

AMENDING BILL

POSITION OF NATIVES

Legislative effect to tho main recommendations of the committee which investigated the Native rating problem in New Zealand is given by'a comprehensive amendment to tho Eating Act, which was introduced into the House yesterday. Eead a second time pro forma, the measure was referred to the Native Affairs Committee, and this body will hold a special meeting on Monday to enable representations from interested local authorities to be heard, The' Bill, the provisions of which will become operative as from April 1, 1934, inaugurates tho system under which payments of rates will be -a charge against the revenue of the land. This applies to areas utilised for the production for sale of dairy produce, wool, crops, etc., the contention being that as the Maoris use the road for the transport of their produce they should be liable for rates equally with Europeans, and that they should pay them out of the proceeds of their produce. Accordingly, the Bill empowers local authorities to serve notices on dairy companies, mercantile agents, and security grantees, to whom produce is sold or delivered, and these: notifications will constitute a charge, to the amount of the rates specified in them, on the revenue then or in the future due to the Native taxpayers from the sale of their produce. The local authorities will be. entitled to collect or recover the money from the agents mentioned, the latter being entitled to deduct reasonable costs and expenses incurred and to collect from the local bodies a commission of 2J per cent, to defray the cost of-keeping necessary records and accounts. Where produce pay-outs are made on a periodical basis, the rate requirements can be met by appropriate instalments,, which are not to exceedl one-quarter of the total revenue due to the taxpayer. In connection with Native land which is being utilised for, development purposes, the Bill empowers the Minister of Finance to direct that, after reasonable living expenses have been provided for, h,alf of the rates payable be a first charge on the revenue of the land. The intention is that tho proportion should gradually increase !during three years until the full rates are payable. „ . Another provision is that Ivative lands situated in a borough or town district, ancV.which are non-revenue producing, will, while remaining in that state, be lialbe for half rates only. Special exemption is provided for individual areas, not exceeding five acres, occupied as a papakainga, or general dwelling, place. Experience has shown that where Maoris are living together in. kaingaa' they are usually of the poorer class with no fixed income, and they obtain their livelihood as best they can. The investigating committee found that the local authorities were not concerned so much with this class of Nativo as with the one who owned, farming or productive lands. Under other clauses provision is made for the insertion in the owners column of a valuation roll of one name under the title "nominated Maori owner" or "nominated Maori occupier" in cases where land, is owned or occupied in common and not vested in a trustee. It has been held that the entry of "Natives" in the owners column gave no assistance towards the collection of rates, and it is believed that with the changp proposed collections will, be facilitated. If tho rates are paid, the nominated owner or occupier will have noting .rights, -and this, it is calculated, will provide an incentive to ae© that rates are forth* coming. The Registrar of the Native Land Court is called upon to supply,tho Valuer-General and the local bodies with the information necessary to keep the names up to dato. Upon the1 same official is also placed the duty of supplying local authorities with a list of 'all partitions and alienations, and the local authorities are empowered to amend their rate rolls accordingly, and to apportion the rates owing as between two or moTO parcels into which the land has been partitioned. New provisions ' are made with TeBpect to ,voting rights of land owned by two or more persons in common. Tho vote will bo exercised by tho occupier, and if there is no occupier by the person whose name is entered on tho roll as the nominated occupier. If there is more than one nominated occupier the vote may be exercised by one as- a result of agreement.