NATIVE LAND RATING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15274, 23 July 1920, Page 8

NATIVE LAND RATING.

A PERENNIAL TROUBLE, RELIEF TO. LOCAL BO'DIKS. WELLINGTON, this day, Difficulty m enforcing the payment of rates oib native lands was discussed with the Minister -of .Native Lands by a. deputation from the Counties Association. Messrs. Harris, Coates (Minister of Public Work's), Anderson (Minister of Internal Affairs), Vernon Reed (Buy of Islands), and Hockly (Rotorua) were also present, .-while Mr. Mander introduced the deputation. t Remits drawn up at the cunforence m" Auckland and endorsed by the annual meeting' of the CouiKies Association now sitting m Wellington, together with details of land held and rates paid by natives, were presented to the Ministers. Mr. W. Jones, chairman of the Whangarei County Council, described th« hardships imposed on backblocks ' settlers -who were loaded with borrowed money; m their inability, to get a contribution through rating on native lands. la his district he estimated tliat 60 per cent, of the population vrero Maoris. They paid no rates, yet they got the benefit of improvements". to' their holdings by ' railway and reading construction. . Mr. A. E. Bissett (Bay of Islands) spoke on similar lines.- ' ' The president of the Counties Association., Mr. A. JulJ, said that the matter was a perennial one, and for years the necessity, for remedial legislation for , settlers laboring under conditions brought about by Maoris refusing to meet their, obligations, had been urged. Labor charges and material had soared of recent years, and it» was particularly important that something should be done now. In. previous years representations on this score had been mot with few well-chosen words, but. no action. He asked w3iether.it 'Was a matter of policy, im defei'enCe to the treajrtr of Waitangi,,that prevented the Government placing natives oh the same footing as Europeans m the nfatter of paying rates. Support was forthcoming from the South Island, Mr. Bruce (chairman of the -South Island County Councils' Association) stating that the southern bodies, endorsed the opinions of the ■North Island. ■Sir Win. Homes, m. reply, admitted that it was a perennial grievance, and so long as. there were native lands it would couthiue to be so. The Government would endeavor to mitigate the .hardship, but could not undertake to allow local bodies to sell up blocks where the natives were not living m the district. Sometimes it was difficult to* deal with native lands, held m common, but lands owned by individuals were on the same footing "as those oi Europeans. The Maoris weife agreeable to have their property rated if they were placed , on the same footing as Europeans m the matter of borrowing money for development purposes. As a matter of fact a Bill was being introduced to this effect, money 'befn» available for land held m common and also held by Europeans on native title, which previously was not recognised b.v the Public Trustee in' the' matter of loans. . A voice : Will overdue rates be paid before, the land is taken from native owners ? Sir Wm. Herries : There are instructions to that effect. With regard tc placing liens on land this could only be done up to a certain amount-, as overdue rates sometimes, exceed the value of the land. ■-. • . \ Mr. Jull: Does not that indicate tht enormity of our advantage m dealing further with the lien proposal. ' Sir Wm. Hetfries said he was pre pared to put a clause m the Rating Bill, couceding this power on land lielc under deeds 6t\ title, and probjably-ex-tending it to lands held under native title, but it could "not go "on for ever The deputation suggested a limit <i four, years, the Government then tc meet the liability* Sir Win," Herries: "TTou- will have tr go to the Finance Minister. Continu ing, he said that tho'i'e was a clause m the present Act by -which 'it "was possible . .tio -.£et ..at the ..> occupier, whe could . be held .responsible for rates. „ A .voice: The magistrates; da rit>l take that view. They rule' : o£herwis< when there is more than xjne owner, or the laiui" ', Sir Win. Herries contended that ■ii was fair for rates to be paid by the occupier for another man. _ Mr. Jull : Could you see that Nativ< Land Courts serve to local authorities notices of granting of occupation leasef to Ji-uropeans? . Sometimes a temporary lease is arranged just, to pass it on tc another, and: when, the -transfer is madt rates^ are claimed which cannot be collected. . . ..■; • . ■ . •Sir Wm. Herries: I think there if something m the Atfc requiring Maori Land, poards.ito give such notice .! i. - eA s-.Bu.f- this fs a question foi tlie Native i'Landt; Courts. After explanation had /been, offered uiat it was a,* matter of unreffistered agreements, the. Native Minister promised to give ilistructions that all alterat'ohs should b e notified to couiv .ties.— Special to Herald