MAORIS AND RATES.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3852, 30 November 1917, Page 4

MAORIS AND RATES.

The following letter written fay Mr H. R. Cooke, of Auckland, which appeared) in a recent issue otf the "Northern- Advocate," should prove of interest to country residents: "I have read with great interest your leader on the question of Maori rates and their recovery. This question of the Collection of native rate? is one that affects every settler and local body in the North of Auckland and is oif vital importance to the ratepayers. Certani of the counties strike rates on native land and then, when the land is sold, the' rate moneys are deducted from the purchase money by the Maori Land Board before they pay the balance to the Natives—but that means "Wait, horse, till the grass grows." Certain other counties have been so disgusted at the worry and expense of trying to collect from the natives that they have given up any attempt to collect, and in some cases do not levy the rates at all. I feel sure that if the counties combined and made a joint recommendation to the Government this state of things could be amended, but the overtures must be made by tine whole of the united counties who should insist that, instead of the counties, having to try and collect the rates wMch is at present! impossible, the Government should be forced to advance the whole of the rates that are in arrears om niative lands and make the amtounts so paid a charge upon the lands as and when they are sold, and thereafter as t!he rates are struck the Government should pay - them and charge them in the manner previously •intimated. TJie effect of such a step would be that the Northern roads, instead of being bogs arid quagmires, would! become in reality roads for traffic, as if the money were used to pay the interest and sinking fund for a loan for road construction it would soon solve the difficulty of the Roadless North. The advantages ore so manifest that the county councils shouldl immediately take united action to this end. The Government, if the matter were properly represented to them, would be bound to fall in with such a scheme, as it would at once largely relieve them> as well as the local bodies, of the present cumbersome and unjust method of allotting grantfs for the roads inequitably and to the council that had the biggest pull or was the most persistent. Your member, •Mr Mander, has given very forcible expression to the present unjust method in which Governmenti grants are made and would, I feel sure, do his best with the! other Northern members to get these or similar suggestions carried out. The Nontih is coming into its own and this can be greatly expedited by getting this rating and roading difficulty settled without further delay. Trusting that the Whangarie Council will take the mattei* in hand and arrangel for a conference. with the other councils."