COUNTY RATES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 10 July 1924, Page 7

COUNTY RATES.

NATIVE REFUSES TO PAY. LAND FIRST SETTLED BY THE MAORI. An unusual attitude was taken up by Te Rawhiti, a native of high stand- . ' v^lo appeared at the Hawern Magistrate’s Court to-day on a judgment summons for rates'. Mr. Houston, for the County Council. said that great difficulty had been experienced in obtaining payment of native rates. First of all there was fhe,, class which really did not have sufficient money to pay rates, but secondly there was the class of influential native who advised others not to pay. One Katene, who had recently been be! fore the court and had been ordered to pay. had been of this class, but his case had served as a warning to others. Lastly, there was the class of honest, straightforward, reputable native, who stolidly asserted that New Zealand was first settled by the Maori and the land belonged to the Atua (the Almighty). Rawhiti was of this last class. He had shares in native lands and carried out large deals in stock. Rawhiti admitted having ' received £269 in native rents since judgment was obtained against him in September of ,1922. ; »His V orsliip (to Rawhiti’s interpreter): Why didn’t you pav the rates out of the rent you received? Rawliiti : I don’t want to pay. His V orship: Tell him that if he does not pay he will have to go to jail. Rawhiti: T don’t care. His AA cft’ship: But I care. Tell him that if he dons not nay he leaves me no option. He will be imprisoned, and if he still does not nay his land can be sold and his rates paid from the proceeds. Rawhiti: I don’t care

His Worship then ordered the payment of the debt forthwith, in default three months’ imprisonment. Rawhiti: I’m satisfied. I will go to jail. •