CROWN LANDS DATES

Waipa Post, Volume 48, Issue 3469, 22 May 1934, Page 5

CROWN LANDS DATES

ARREARS PENALISE LOCAL IBODIES. MINISTER PROMISES HELP. Telegraphic advice from the Poverty Bay quotes the Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Lands, as saying to a deputation at Wairca on the matter of rates on Crown lands, that he would see what could be done with the payment of rates of Crown settlers who were in arrears if lists of defaulters were placed before the department. He did not think the law would be altered to allow Crown lands to be sold for rates. He did not think there was any case of a Crown settler fully paid up with rent and interest with his rates three or four years in arrears. The department was quite willing to share payments from settlers and give something toward rates.

In reply to a statement that the Crown was collecting rent for houses and yet paying no rates, the Minister said he yas not quite sure how far the powers of his department would go.

Referring 1 to relief for Crown tenants the Minister said that throughout the Dominion various land boards were meeting the position. The boards were expected to exercise all possible care. It was net desirable that arrears should be piled up against a man. If a man was a good fanner and was working conscientiously arrears should be written off. A total of £1,000,000 had been written off in the past few years. In the last 12 months there had been an improvement of 25 per cent., totalling nearly £500,000, in the collection of Crown rentals, due mainly to improved wool prices. The dairy position, though bad, appeared to be showing improvement.