UNPAID NATIVE RATES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21505, 31 May 1933, Page 12

UNPAID NATIVE RATES

LAND IN TAURANGA COUNTY EVIDENCE BEFORE COMMITTEE [by iavkgraph —OWN cohresfondent] TAURANGA, Tuesday The Native Land Rating Committee, comprising the Hon. A. D. McLeod, M.P. (chairman), R„ N. Jones, Chief Judge of the Native Land Court, and Mr. J. H. Reid, chairman of the Opotiki County Council, held a sitting here to-day. Matters regarding the rating of native lands were presented by Mr. S. H. MacDougall, chairman of the Tauranga County Council, Mr.. W. F. Sinclair and Mr. C. E. S. Gane, members of the County Council, and Mr. A. H. Benham, county engineer. Mr. MacDougall stated that the capital value of European occupied land in the county was £1,999,684, and the unimproved value was £836,929. The area of native lands was 49,553 acres, with a capital value of £145,524 and unimproved value of £85,7(30. Taking one year's figures, the rates leviajjje on native land amounted to £1751, of which £7 18s. lid was paid. The council's hospital levy for the year amounted to £2503 and the share collected from natives amounted to £4 7s Id. Throughout the county there were a number of natives who directly benefited from the incidence of good roads. A large area of Crown roads did not contribute rates. Mr. MacDougall quoted figures showing that there were 85 native suppliers to the Tauranga and Te Puke dairy factories, and the total number of cows milked was 1477. He contended that fees due by natives to the Hospital Board should be met by the Consolidated Fund. Mr. Sinclair stated that natives were treated in hospitals and would not pay fees. Mr. Gane said that out of 150 men in the county on relief, about 100 were natives. The county engineer, in reply to a question, said that in the past two years unpaid native rates amounted to £3413. The menace created by ragwort growing on native and Crown lands was stressed by various speakers. The committee left this aftefiioon for Rotorua.