HATING NATIVE LANDS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 9268, 30 April 1892, Page 2

HATING NATIVE LANDS.

Amomq the questions discussed at the conference of northern County Councils was tho rating of nativo lands. This is of the utmost importance to nearly all the County Councils iu the North Island, but to none so much as those in the extreme north. In Hoklanga, it was stated at the conforauco, there are 7030 natives owning 240,000 acres of land, or fonr times as much ox h held by the 300 Europeans there. Yet tho 300 Europeans havo to provide all the roads, though they are used more by the 2000 natives. Mr Jackson Palmer contended that taxation could not bo imposed on native lands under the Treaty ot Waitangi. As oar Auckland namesake remarks, it might as reasonably be contended that the Qovernment lift,? no right under tho treaty to impose Oußtoms duties on the tobaoco and spirits consumed by the natives. There is no doubt considerable dilflculty in enforcing any tax against native lands which are held tribally, Id is practically impossible in the oise of land which has not passed through the Court. Where titles are individualised there would be no more difficulty than in the case of Europeans. Hit to hold out to tho natives a threat of taxation if they individualise their lands would not be an encouragement to that operation. It would rather act as a deterrent, and further crystallise the tendency to retain the tribal tenure. Th,as wquld. b.o a great ra}sfqrtuno. ' All authorities on Maori affairs agree that In the individualisatlon of titles lies the hope of the future tor the race. It is the only wuy to secure to each the fruits of his industry ; when lands are held and cultivated in common there U no incentive to individual ex ertion, and laziness is encouraged. To place any bar in the way of individual(tattoo, would to) bad for the colony, and

specially injurious to the Maoris. Bat is there no alternative course whioh, while making the natives pay their share towards making • and maintaining the roads they use, shall not have such an unfortunate reflex action ? The erection of lollgates is one plan, but a barbarous one. Mr M'Leod, one of the delegates to the conference, suggested another. He proposed that a poll-tax of 10a or £1 per head should be imposed, the proceeds to be handed over to the County CouncUa. Thore is something worth consideration in (he idea. The chief difficulty which strikes us would be in the collection of the tax. But it pomes as near something practical as any other scheme wo have heard suggested. Certainly the Maarls in settled districts should be made to contribute something towards the toads they use.