NATIVE LAND RATES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22819, 28 August 1937, Page 17

NATIVE LAND RATES

PROCEDURE FOR RECOVERY SUGGESTED AMENDMENT [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON. Friday Native lands and rates were discussed by tho New Zealand Counties' Association biennial conference yesterday. It was decided to ask the Government to make certain deletions from the Rating Act and to substitute the following clause with regard to rates due on nativo lands: —"Where it is sought to recover rates from owners or beneficial owners, local authorities shall submit certified lists of rates outstanding on native lands at March 31 in each year to the Native Department, which, if it is satisfied that tho rates are due, shall, without further cost to tho local authorities, register liens for such rates against tho titles of all such lands." Application has to be mado to the Court for a charging order. The conference also decided to urge that where the Native Department had assumed or was assuming control of nativo lands for development purposes the department should be mado responsible for the payment of 50 per cent of all rates then due, such percentage thereafter to be. increased annually by 12£ per cent, until the full rate charge was annually payable. Mr. C. Matthews (Gisborne) said that the problem of unpaid native rates was a serious one, particularly in the North Island. One county on tho East Coast had had to put in a commission merely because nativo rates were not collectable.