NATIVE LAND COMMISSION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11140, 2 December 1907, Page 6

NATIVE LAND COMMISSION.

/. *v ; ■• ■ ■ . ♦• vv NATIVES AND TAXES : AN EX.'•£'V PLODED THEORY. : .-Mr -H, C. Jackson: attended: and supplied' further information respecting a frujnber df blocks in which he was acting 'as trustee." V He explained the method of .making up the accounts under order of .the' Validation Court.— His Honor, referring to the Wharigara lands, said that in 6n,e instance the tax was £80, which he. thought .was very high.— Mr Jackson said that iii the case of Whangara K No. 3, nearly three- fourths of the rent went in taxes.— His; Honor said that in the instance he noticed one-fifth of the rent in general land tax to the Government. .The general idea was that the Maoris escaped the payment of rates and taxes, but .here they were paying five tinves as much as any other body.— Mr jlackson added that the increased taxation arose through the increased value of the land. The, Whangara lands' valuation had in the last three years risen from £47 to £101.— The Commission requested Mr ' Japksoii to supply a statement of the amount of rates paid in proportion to the Vents. Mr Jackson, in. reply to further questions, said the accounts were audited by an. officer appointed by the Validation Court and were filed with the Court.— His Honor, thought it would be Better if the accounts were published in a gazette for the information of the Natives. ■\ In reply to Mr Ngata, Mr Jackson said the cost of management for the last ,10 years was below 5 per cent.— His -Honor thought it was very reasonable. — Continuing, Mr Jackson/ said that in respect of various incorporated blocks he was secretary for, with .a small exception, he had received absolutely nothing for ■office expenses or material. He hoped to do so, however, in future. Respecting Mangatu 3 and 4, his Honor asked how the liability of £2000 was incurred. 'Mr Jackson said that was taken over by the trust. In respect of these blocks .also," the blocks being in difficulty, neith. er he nor the Commissioner of Lands had received any remuneration. Mr W. L. Rees explained that the register liens for the survey on the Mangatu blocks were very heavy and the money had been advanced to the Natives for L,and Court fees, etc. The mortgagee then within his rights demanded payment and he advertised the land 10,000 acres for sale. The. Natives • had no hope of finding the money and the Jand would have been sold. TJpon the advice of himself and Wi Pere the Na* lves incorporated, and trustees were ap- ;^ m ted by Parliament, who borrowed '£1600, sufficient for all debts. The matter was so delayed and costs ran up, it was not sufficient, and application was tjien made to the Governor-in-Council to raise •Turthe rhioney to pay off the remaining .pebts <|nd to improve the land. The result was .they had been authorised to fcHse- aMurther £3400, but the money „'had not. been raised, as Mangatu 4 was :^6t producing anything. The owners :of- Mangatu No: 1, being practically the ,*ame, m raising money themselves had -agreed to raiss su.'Ecient to tide o>ev Mangatu N.o. 4. f ;Mr Ngata said that this would be rather complicating things, and they 'Would have a repetition of the East Coast T. rust lands. VMr Rees, replied that it was only a temporary expedient. There would be no <li%ulty, tor, as soon as Mangatu No, 4 wafs operated upon it would be able to •payoff the relief. It was to prevent the block from being sold. Mangatu No 4 contained from £12,000 to £20,000 worth of milling timber. TE KOPUA BLOCK. ■ . Li connection with the VTe Kopua block, Pantu, Mr Chrisp said it was desired that a recommendation be made that Kl °Pua. should give Te Puninga a road. . One of the owners announced that the Natives had come to an agreement, only one. owner standing out. The land had never been before the Native Land Court and they desired to farm it as one block until it had been before the Count for partition. His Honor said that it was fallacy for ■the Natives to commence farming the block as a whole if they intended to divide it ut> in a year. It would be only wasting money.— ln reply to his Honor, the Native stated they were agreed as to the owners, but the interests had not been defined.— Mr. Ngata said it had never been ascertained by the Court who were the beneficiaries. — Mr Rees said the title: had been ascertained, but not the beneficiaries. Tliat had been their difficulties. He suggested that the Validation Court could take it into their hands, at- thg request of the, Commission, and decide the owners. There were from 30 t 0 50 claimants. Owing to the tangle the land was in the Validation Court had scruples ii\ dealing with the block.— Mr Ngata asked if the parties were willing l& have the matter referred to the Validation • Court to investigate the position, subject to legislative sanction afterwards. -.—Mr Chrisp said they were, and had jent down a clause to be inserted in this year's Act, but it was omitted.— His Honor replied that that seemed to be the trouble about all Native land matters. It was a case of putting off eternally. No wonder the Natives were disgusted. — It was Bubsequehtly discovered that the legislative power desired was contained in the Washing-up Bill of the past ses-sion.—-The matter was further discussed, and it was pointed out that the Nativesconsented tb the entrusting of the lands to Mr Coleman, and then additional legislation could be passed.— His Honor said they would" reserve the matter for consideration, and if nothiflg could be done to unravel the difficulty, they would have y> ask /of -tefelstiWi