A TALL ORDER.

Northland Age, Volume 2, Issue 1, 8 January 1930, Page 6

A TALL ORDER.

MAORI LAND BOARD SEEKS J INFORMATION. t COUNCIL SAYS “HELP YOURSELF’ * Particulars of rates collect d • and the expenditure on road works for the past twenty years. —To the Tokerau Maori Land Board, which requested this information in a letter received by the county council at last meeting, the matter may have appeared simple, but to the county clerical staff it would have meant weeks of work to the exclusion of other affairs. In effect the council said, “The books are here. Help yourself to the information.” In its letter the board asked for details ot all rates collected on , all property north of Houhora * during the past 20 years, and the separate rates collected from Maori owners; and also the amount spent in that area, during L the same period, on roads and * bridges. “Ask them what charitable a aid has been paid up that way,” J said Cr. Kitchen vigorously when f the letter was read. “They for- « get about that.” * The county clerk, Mr. C. McKinnon, pointed out that Research out the information would entail two or three weeks work, and councillors agreed that the request was unreasonable. It was decided to inform the board that the council’s books would be placed at the disposal of any person who might be appointed to inspect them during office hours. “You might also point out that the charitable aid paid in that district is far iri excess of the rates collected,” suggested Cr, Holder. • “And we had to pay about £4OO out of the ratepayers’ pockets at the time ot the epidemic,” added Cr. Wrathall. *