1877 AGREEMENT INVALID

Taranaki Daily News, 12 July 1929, Page 10

1877 AGREEMENT INVALID

RATING OF NATIVES’ LAND COUNCIL’S CLAIMS SUPPORTED NO FURTHER STEPS FOR YEAR By Telegraph—Press Association. Thames, July 11. Judge MacCormick gave judgment this morning on the Thames County Council's application for charging orders against 77 Maoris of the Ngatimaru tribe for rates. Defence was filed that an agreement made in 1877 exempted them from rating. The judge said he could only repeat that the agreement had no legal force or effect. It was not one. into which the county could lawfully enter. The present council was within its rights in declining to recognise it. ■ As to a contention tnat the Court; should exercise discretion under the Rating Act and refuse to make charging orders in respect of the blocks covered by the agreement, the Court was satisfied that the present case did not come within the purview of the section. Its discretion must be exercised, and not merely out of sympathy. “The Natives may rest easy that ample time will be given concerning further steps, which cannot be takenj till , the expiry of 12 months, and then only after further application to this Court, which will see that the Natives are not prejudiced for want •of time, provided they show reasonable diligence in taking whatever course they may be ad vised to take.”