NATIVE RATES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18584, 19 December 1934, Page 3

NATIVE RATES

SIMPLIFYING COLLECTION i INDIVIDUALISING LANDS REPLY TO COAST REQUEST Steps to simplify the collection of native rates have been urged by the Waiapu County Council, but the Minister of Native Affairs points out that there are difficulties in the way. A circular read at to-day’s meeting of the Cook County Council from the Counties’ Association stated that the association’s executive at its last meeting received a letter from the Waiapu County Council asking that (ho 'Government be urged to take steps to have native lands individualised as soon ns possible, for under the present conditions many of the natives apparently did not know where their properties actually were situated, and if they did some of them did not. appear to have yet obtained their titles, although their names might have appeared on the roll for some time. The matter was referred to the Minister of Native Affairs, and his reply was as under: “I have to acknowledge your letter with regard to the individualising of native lands with a view to simplifying Ike ’collection and payment of 'local body rates. “The department is actively protooling through consolidating schemes in several districts the collection of the scattered interests of the Maoris in native blocks and their location in compact ureas in the ownership of individual or family groups. The aim of the consolidation Officers is to award, as far as possible' to each individual or family group an area suitable for occupation by the individual owner or by a member of the family group, as the case may be. As these areas are brought, into production from time to time, either through the department’s development schemes, or the efforts of the occupiers, they should be rendered capable of meeting their responsibilities to local bodies fdr rates. “There is ample, power under the Native band Act, HKD, to partition native lands as between the various areas. The Court's jurisdiction, however, is discretionary, and it may liefuse to parti!ion in any case in which it is of the opinion that partition, would be inexpedient in the public interest, or in the interests of the owners or other persons interested in the land. “Partition, of course, raises the question of survey in order to complete the title. The chief surveyor has to satisfy himself prior to taking any survey that the cost thereof has been either paid or sufficiently secured. The position is, therefore, that although lands may be partitioned the titles cannot be perfected until the

cost of the necessary survey is paid. Survey charges are a definite handicap to individualisation of ownership of native lands. “There is also the difficulty to be contended with that many areas are unsuitable for separate ownership, even if individualisation were otherwise possible. The court in exercising its jurisdiction to partition is required to avoid as far as possible the subdivision of land into areas which, because of their sjnailness dr their configuration, or for other reasons, tire unsuitable for separate ownership or occupation, and generally shall have regard to the configuration of the country, the best system of roading an<j facilities for settlement. The court is required also to have regard as far as practicable to the interests of the native owners. “I have given hut a few of the obstacles to individualisation of native lands, but your association may rest assured that the Native; Land Court is not unsympathetic to the requirements of local bodies when dealing with applications bv natives for the partition oi their lands." ..I. .L ;'