NATIVE RATES

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 13125, 23 March 1937, Page 2

NATIVE RATES

HEAVY GOST TO WAIAPU COUNTY SIX YEARS’ ARREARS TOTAL £30,000 ’ MINISTER’S WARNING TO NATIVES In P 930 tho Waiapu .County Council Aviped off all Native rates, but in the intervening six years the total arrears have accumulated until the amount is uoav about • £3o,ooo.—This statement Avas made in the course of a. deputation to the Acting} Minister of Nath'*- 'Lands, the Plon. Langstone at To Puia. Springs. , In his reply the Minister suggested that more gonrous treatments to the county in the Avay of increased .road grants and assistance in seeing that rate-A on productive native lands arc paid might help to alleviate tho probP/in. Tho deputation comprised Mr, D. W. Williams, chairman of the council, Or. F. R. Jcfferd and Mr. A. G. Hicks, county clerk. Mr. Williams said that six years ago tho council had wiped off native, rates but, since then, the arrears totalled £30,000. This Avas too big a handicap, and the council sought assistance in forcing collection where land Avas producing and Avas practically full developed. The council realised that rates must ha paid from production and would not object . if all the unproductive ureas Avere taken off the rate roll. If payment could ho enforced on productive blocks the council would be satisfied. About 50 per cent, of the natives did not see the reason for paying Avhen others did not pay. This year’s figures Avere not ready yet, hut over 80 per cent. Avould be collected by the end of the year, faking both native and European rates into account. If native lands Avorc- to bo treated in a different Avay from European lands, the council asked that the responsibility should be a national one, and the council would -seek an additional subs'dy to offset the non-payment.

ROAD GRANTS MAY BE BIGGER Hie Minister said that the Government could not accept the responsibility for native rates or any other rates. Rates were a. first call on the land, but Avitli the Crown rates could not be enforced because the CroAvn was protected by legislation. The Government made grants to local ■bodies, and in certain cases those grants might haA r e to be made bigger. Where the nattoe could pay he Avould have to pay, and he Avarned them that they Avould be forced to pay. With a little straight spieaking to them already he believed the Maori Avas being shoAvn ho could not continue to side-step the issue. Continuing, the Minister said he agreed that non-productive lands should not be rated. The classification of lands bad, been suggested. Mr. Williams contended that such a classification could he done Avith the valuation, and unproductive bush might be avoided as nil. RECEIVERSHIP FOR. NATIVE LANDS

The Minister said the department agreed with him that the Alaoris should be protected from injustice. He did not think that the mental atitudo of the Alaori was’ .against paying rates any more than the pnkeha If they did not pay their rates they were scrounging on others, who did, for they were using the roads.* He told the Alaoris that most of the money for the roads was coming from the pnkeha and that it was their duty to pay their share. The Government had a responsibility to the Alaoris, for the conditions many of them were living under were shocking. The Government should help them, and •after it had put them in a. good position, ho had told them, the court wtould act as a receiver 1 for their lands He believed that there would be a greater alacrity in the payment of rates than ever before once the Alaoris realised this. In the Afntakaoa County, the administrator had been able to collect ,52 per cent of the native rates this year, against 1 per cent, the year before. He understood that the administrator had obtained a. receivership on one or two properties, and. that had influenced many others in, making rate payments. Mr. Hultquist, AI.P., said that no attempt would he maid© to harass people, hut the action of a. receivership On the part of the court would have a great influence on many of the other Maoris.

The Alin is,ter said" he was satisfied the Government must give greater annual grants to counties affected by the native rating problem. He had had, a conference with the Hon. R. Semple, Alinistcr of Public Works, on that point, so that when local bodies applied fqr grants the Public Works Department would he seized, with, the importance of conditions in certain counties.

The Alinistcr thanked the Natives for the warmth of their welcome. He regretted that, there was ever any trouble over Alaori lands, and he would try to put things right. Ho. woiikl discuss the matter with Air. J. S. Jessop and the Under-Sccrot-ary of Native Affairs, and would do his best for the Native people. fie did not want the Alaoris to sell ther lands. In the past when Alaori lands were sold, the money was soon gone and the Natives were pauperised,

TOKOAIARU REQUEST

A request similar to that at Ilauibi was made by tho Tokomaru Bay Natives. Mr. W|i Potae tasked that the control, management and administration of the Anaura block should be given hack to the Alaori people. He also asked for finjanciql. assistance for the erection of a dining hall, at the pa. Air. College Babbington asked that the owners 'of the Tawhiti block should he placed on the land so tha,t they, could make a comfortable living. '

Sir-- Aipirana—Ngata *said that the Minister -had la unique problem in Tokomnru Ray, because the bay was land-locked, and the land surrounding it was unsuitable for sub-division The Mjangahauini block was farmed by. [the Maoris, an 1 had done very well,-blit the Tawhiti block had not done so Well,' The block spoken of, by Mr. Wi I’otao would bo very difficult to handle. ' The Minister said that some suitable land for settlement was under the control of the East Coast Commission, and tho settlement of this would help to give a profitable outlet to young Natives .desiring, to take up farming. A number had interests in East. Coast Commission blocks Avhioh were eminently suitably for dairying. Natives suppliers in the Waiapu and Wairoa districts were doing Avell, but only 8 per cent of the Tolaga Bay suppliers were Natives, compared with, 70 to SO per cent in Wairoa and Waiapu. He hoped to be able to get rif! of all the debts on the blocks tlvait had been mentioned, and tor the land to carry the maximum population.