The Age -Taken To Task.

Northland Age, Volume 28, Issue 28, 23 March 1928, Page 7

The Age -Taken To Task.

Question Oi Native Rates. > ——- Conference In Solicitors’ Office, * V-'hat Wes Actually Said.

The Mangonui Court* y Council in committee on Wednesday spent a great deal of time discus«in,s; the action of the Northlaid A&e in publishing a statemcni to the effect that after meeting Sir Apirana Ngita th. Nat vo L ads (.oisoiidution Cr ramn. ion, that uoloiel Bell io th county solicitors’ office stated h» could, get-the Council • more than tie £2300 offered "by Sir Ap.rana in behalf of the natives. As has beeu indicated a lot of tin e was spent on this matter and al the cincltsion the following re jluticn v. as paSSed : ' fteai ved, ta d the clerk be instructed to to* Sir Anirsna rN,ata stating that the remarks at*vibutt Jto he member for the # bay or'staadi id ’r**?' ’ .... being able yC* obtain more t .so *he amount offered bv the Native Land CrrsoD'kaiioa Ccmti.ission and published in the Northland Ae,.. of the Ibtii Tnst., are utterly un*rue.” When the .Council resumed after the luncheon adjournment th- chairman, Mr A. H. Long, cci rteously mentioned t.io rnattet b c> e the Editor of the Age had nc, been ,n .sent ip *he morning. He said this was viewed as a serious matter in that the member for the district had. been placed n a false position. He a Iced if the Editor of the Agt v old feel disposed to divulge the source o. *i.j information. » -* all-a . • MrShugar: As a journalist s*r, <it r s my function to publish any matter of interest to the general ■ public. This information was given to me by a man in the street, not by any member of the Council, before the conference took place in the solicitors office. I don’t know that I have a right or that I am under any obligation, to divulge the source of my informaati^i. Mr-Long: Well you see Mr bh jgur, our member is doing toe best he can frr usi.He w ants to get for us as much as he can, and we 'don’t want to place him in a false poition and oi course he is anxious to assist the Nalive La nds Consolidation Scheme. The fact that * it he s got out that he was said to have approved of one scheme-, and then told us someth: 1 g else in the solicitors’ office might place him in a wroc,/ position with Sir Aptrana. Of course you will see Mr Shugar, that something got out which we did not want to get out, mi '7o -lways want to protect cur member who is striving to Jo his test for u 6. Mr Shugar: Yes. Mr Wratha’l: You have made a s'.amaient that you had this informat c* in year pcs es- sti before the confereuee t-ok place, and report states that 41 The Cc incii subsequently held a conference in the County solicitors’ office, when n was decided to ask 1 ’ a caoit s ■ element of £3s* Oi/o. We are informed that Col'on 1 Beil was present, and although he stated before the Commi sion that one third of the rates oviny would.h 1 -: a fair settlement ” ot tnis question, he is reported to have made the statement in the office, that he cas get

I more. Is this some more of his I bluff ?”

Mr Stntghr: Yes, that is quite f?sy. If you want to kno-- I 73s told that it h id been arran•g* d to meet the commission, and that after receiving its offer to .confer with a view to determining what would be acceptable 'o the Council. It was said that : 'on- 1 Beil had slated that he cc „ij vet more.ar d that he would be present at-the atbsequetu conerence, and he wo '/.ld urge them mot to accept any offer made, if it is any news to you. Cokn.el Bell : It is quite wrong. I cid'not know of a conference to be held until a few minutes before u took place. You knoiv I talked along the strpet with you -nd I did not ! mehtion it to you. I wint to tin dfc.'it’st’s to arrange about having a tooth extracted. Mr Lon -; You certainly said codling to me. Colonel Bell: The statement is quite untrue. Mr Long : The fact ot the matter is, that -something got out v hich re ci'd not went to get out. V Monel Bell said tbe statement was untrue, and every member of '.e Council knew, that he had r ot made the statement attributed to him. , . Mr Long: We do not waul to place our member in a false posit'oe and that report does. Mr Shugar: I hope you will appreciate, six, that it is not my desire to place anyone in a false position. Mr Long: Well you see unfortunately it has done so. Mr.Sr.ugar: I appreciate that it has and I am prepared to rectify i-. I aoprreiate also that the fact t.iat something was said which was different from what was s :jd 1-fore the Commission is also keiv to place Colonel Bill in a i. osition of being considered ini’ insistent. You, yourself, sir, have said that something got out r hich you'did not want to get o .'t and there is also that aspect of t' e question to be considered. Mr Wralhall made pointed reference to the fact that the report rr. ade a certain statement and my explanation is that with the information I had in my possession, i assumed that it was correct to <:ate what I did. Mr Wrath all: Was I too pointed? . - Mr. §hugar: Not pointed - enc.ugh. Mr Wrathall: I drew the answer I wanted. ' Mr. Shugar: And you are qu te welcome to it, for Ml the good it may do you.' •" * t lo Mr Long the Editor of the “Age” said he would publish the act'that he had evidently been mistpforired as to what was to be arranged by the; conference in the solicitors’office.. , .i . , —.. ■ .i [Since the foregoing w?s written we have had the opportunity! of verifying what was said by Colonel Bell, M.P. He said, “I think I can get a third of the amount owing.” A third of the total native rates owing the Council of £fo,ooo odd, is something like 3,330 odd pounds. Therefore, in saying that the Colonel s.iid he could get more, we were not wj.de of the mark. The natives through StrApirana offered £2,500, and the Council asked for £3,300 on the assumptio ‘hit .£3.300 would be paid. We trust Colonel .Bell will suciu his effort, because the ratepayers can do with all the as-tV trnce possible. In view of the fact that an effort was made to place us in the light of. working contrary to the interests, of thfe ratepayers. May «V| how

comes it that the Council is paying a 10 per cent collection fee on all the money received from the Native Department over £1,500 in satisfaction of the claim the Council has against native land owners. This money will be paid .in cash. A £2,500 cash transaction with no rate demand o* any ether legal formula means that ;he Council would nay aren - mission oi £IOO, ana 1 £3,500. are received a commission of £fßo wii.l be paid. Is this studying the interest of the rutepayt r ! —Editor Age].