County Councils.

Thames Star, Volume XLV, Issue 10420, 13 May 1909, Page 2

County Councils.

' OONIPERENIOB' IN AUCKLAND; RATES FROM NAUWE OWNEES. (Per* United Press Association^ AUCKLiAiM), .'May 12. Ai conference of representatives of County Oountyis, which have large areas of (Native lands within their boundaries, was held to-day for the purpose of dtooujseing the ineffeetiverie«B of the provisions of the Bating Atet;<oif IQOi in regard to tn© rating ■of "Native lands. ' The, conference had ibeen convened by the Raglan County Council-, "which for . two years attempted to collect the raifi* from the ■Native owners within that County. In, the two^years the". Council was able to collect only £7 odidl, and wrote off no less a sum, than £293(5.

T!he Aidt provides that when a judgment is obtained for rates against" a (Nlative owner it cannot be eniforced without the consent of the Native Mamaster, and it wa& stated thait. in all oajses irt^.whioh this consent had 'been sought it had for varii OJUB reasons b^en fefuised!. Some of the otwr representatives stated that their Council hiad not attempted to .oolleot the rates c.n Nfetivet landa, as they reoog|nised that it was impossible to do sol The opinion wsts expressed by Stveral speakiars that the question vim inseparable from the! general Nativeland question, and! that the solution was to foe found in the remloval of the present restrictions oy Native lands, and the placing of the Natives on) the, same footing as Europeans, poeseisising the same privileges, and showing the same responsibilities'.' ■A! resolution, was agreed to drawingi the attention of the Government toi the dlefective lepiisrlation, and asking that a remedy berprovided.