NATIVE LAND.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18220, 3 November 1924, Page 11

NATIVE LAND.

PROVISION FOR RATING.

(TMSS ASSOCUTIOH TJSLEGBAM.) WELLINGTON, November 1

In moving the second reading of the Native Land Rating Bill in the House of Representatives, this- afternoon, the Hon. J. G. Coates expressed tho pride of country felt by every New ieaJlander, ■ and eulogised the work of the Ethnological Board in placing on rer cord an accurate account of the Native peoplo who populated the country, and now thoy divided the land among themselves. These titles were derived sometimes by occupation and sometimes by conquest. In either case, they'were dear to these who ,held them. Then war with the European intervened, and -some of these lands, were confiscated, with the result that the loss of .their territory rankled iii tho breasts of the Natives for several generations. Under these circumstances, it was. pleasant to find tbo Native members of tho House assisting the Government to clear away tho difficulties which naturally arose between the two races in tho occupation of Native land. The Bill before the House would, he thought, go a. long way to this end. It provided for Native land to bo liable to rates in tho same manner as*if.,it were European land. Exemptions were allowed for. land, not -exceeding five acres, occupied as a burial ground, and' for land, not more than five acres,, on which a Native meeting house was erected. Other classes of Nativo land might bo exempted by Order-in-Ooyn-cil. Where Native land was vested in trust in the Maori Land Board,' Native Trustee, or East Coast Commissioner, the trustee was required to pay all rates on that land, hut only to the extent of the net revenue received on behalf of the beneficiary owners of the land affected.

There wore provisions for the recovery of rates on Native land with, the proviso that the same right of appeal as that exercised bv the ordinary ratepayer should be held. Where it was decided that rates were payable a charge over the land might be made to secure their recovery. If tho charge remained unpaid for a period, of riiore. than twelve months, the land affected might be vested in the Native Trustee, to be sold for tho recovery of the rates. It might, however, in the discretion, of the Native Trustee, be mortgaged instead of being sold. Local authorities were given power to remit' rates. due ,on Nativo land, either whollyT'dr in part. ;

The Bill was put through all its 6tages. When Lord Eldon. went up for his degree at Oxford in 1769, this was all the ordeal he had to face: "I was examined in Hebrew anfl history," he related years afterwards. "What is tho Hebrew of 'the place of a skull' ?""»*> the first question. "I replied, f Golgotha.'" "Who founded Unirttfilar College?" oamo next. '1 ; -Jt>*" , (though, by the way, the pours m'sometimes doubted) that King Alfred-found edit. ,'Ycry well, J"£-/£* U, u f examiner, 'you are competent »r y . dogree.'" ' ~ \ A simple scientific "NAZ.OL." Gw l A jf m 2 Powerful and penetrate*.