MISCONCEPTION AND CONFUSION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 212, 25 August 1911, Page 3

MISCONCEPTION AND CONFUSION

COLLECTION OF NATIVE * RATES. t SIR JAMES CARROLL EXPLAINS. I [SPECIAL- UY TELEGRAPH.] [ (Own Corre-poncUti:.) I W’cllingtcn. Aug. 25. ■'The present legislation respect - | ing the rating of Native Lands is ! cumbrous and inefficient,” was the | burden of a complaint made by a I deputation from the County Coun- ' oils Conference which waited upon . the Acting-Premier and Minister I of Native Affairs (Sir Jas. Carroll) I this evening. Amending legislation, the deputationists urged, should be introduced to enable local bodies to enforce judgment for rates over lands that have passed through the Court, and the titles to which have been ascertained. “There has been a lot of misconception and confusion of what obtains under the former Act and what is now law." remarked Sir James in the course of his reply. Local bodies, he went on, to explain. could sue. but only recover the amount for which a joint owner was liable. They could either put in a receiver and lease the land, and out of the proceeds pay the rates, or a portion of the land could be cut off and the pro- | cecds devoted to paying the rates. I That law, of course, would not operate so as to deprive a native of aH his land. He would give the new Act a trial. Local bodies would have the assistance of the Maori Land Boards and they would be of great use as they were familiar with the owners conditions of each block and could be appointed by the -local bodies as receivers. The Public Trustee paid rates on all lands held by him that was bringing in revenue, except those which were held under an occupation lease.