RATING NATIVE LANDS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 531, 8 January 1913, Page 5

RATING NATIVE LANDS.

COLLECTION OP RATES.'

Since the coming into operation of the 19|0 amendment to the Rating Act providing for the collection of rates on native-owned lands, the clerk to the Waitomo County Council has been endeavouring to get all ratable lands placed on the rate book, and last year when the first demands were issued to native owners, the response was in every way satisfactory. This year the nativ« ratepayers have shown commendable promptitude in paying their dues, and the amount already received by the council indicates that little trouble will be experienced in collecting from the natives. Inquiries at the county office elicited the fact that the chief difficulty in respect to the rates was in the "tsase where a native was placed on the rate book as th« nominated owner of a block in which there were a number of interests. The process of making one owner responsible for the whole block is somewhat abstruse and difficult for the native mind to grasp. In all casea the native who is made responsible is willing to pay his share, but if he pays for the whole of the block be has very, little hope of getting repaid by the other interested parties. Difficulties also arise from the fact that the information obtainable from the Native Department with respect to areas of blocks is not always; reliable, but with an improvement in respect to the points mentioned Mr Mora is of opinion that the collection of the rates will be considerably assisted, and the material benefit to the county will be large.