UNPAID NATIVE RATES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 86, 11 March 1932, Page 4

UNPAID NATIVE RATES.

PENALISATION OF • EUROPEANS. WELLINGTON, March 10. The perennial problem of Maoris who are not paying their rates was discussed by Mr H. M. Campbell in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. He complained that many were in affluent circumstances on the East Coast of the North Island, but through their refusal to pay rates European ratepayers were being penalised to the extent of thousands of pounds a year. Referring generally to the problem of native rates, Mr Campbell pointed out that many leases on the East Coast had expired, and the Maoris had taken over the land. He had no objection whatever to this, because he thought it a good thing for the Maoris to farm their own land. But his objection was to the practice of these Maoris in making use of all the public facilities, such as roads, and not paying anything in the way of rates. One countv council in the East Coast district had sent demands for £43,000 in rates, and of this amount only £13,000 had been collected, through the Maoris default. This, he claimed, was placing an undue burden upon the European ratepayers, and he urged that some Government action should be taken to regulate the position. “My sympathies are with the natives who are holding land and are unable to meet their rate demands,” Mr Campbell said, “but there is one particular man who recently bought a horse for "00 guineas, and who rides about in a most expensive motor-car, and it is impossible to collect rates from him. ' Those native land owners who are able to pay should be compelled to, and there are a great many up there who are quite able to pay up*