RATING CROWN LANDS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1231, 13 September 1911, Page 4

RATING CROWN LANDS.

A SERIOUS HARDSHIP. Tlio injustice inflicted on Crown tenants of small grazing runs by an amendment to the Rating Aot, passed last year, is i.o be brought under the notice of "the Prime Minister to-day by a representative deputation from Jlangamahu in the Fordell district. Mr. Newman, the member for Manawatu, brought the matter up in the House on last question day, but was unable to obtain any satisfactory assurance that the wrong done to 'the tenants would be righted. He is determined, however, not to let the matter rest. Mr. Newman states that the House passed the amendment complained of without realising its effect. The Rating Bill, as introduced in the House of Representatives last year, was intended merely to make certain provisions of tho rating law applicable to Native lands. When he moved the committal of the Bill, the Hon. A. T. Ngata, who had charge of the measure, etatcd that it was proposed to take out of tho exemptions in the original Act pastoral runs and small grazing runs, and place them on the same footing with regard to rating as other lands. Ho did not go into details, and members did not demand an explanation as to what the precise effect of the amendment would be. Tho result is that the pastoral lauds of the Crown instead of being rated under a plan whereby "rateable value" meant "tho sum which, invested at six per cent., would yield a yearly sum equal to the rent paid therefor by the tenant" arc now rated, as though they were freehold land, on the capital value. The rent, tho original basis of rating, being a fixed quantity, the rates were likewise fixed, but the capital value of the pastoral lands has, in numerous instances, increased manyfold, and Crown temmts of these lands find themselves suddenly faced by a corresponding increase in rates. ' Mr. Newman contends that, in amending the rating law as slated, the Government has been guilty ol a broach of contract with Crown tenants. He admits that the taxation of land is subject to variation at the will of Parliament, but contends that this consideration does not apply in such cases as that of the small grazing runs, where (lie Crown has entered into a definite contract for a stated term of vcars. He claims that the Crown tenants affected 'are entitled cither to be restored to the position they occupied in regard to rating when they took up their leases or to compensation on the ground that the agreement into which they entered has been broken, to their detriment, bv the other contracting party. 'injustice will be inflicted on tenants in all parts of the Dominion if the Government persists in upholding the amendment of last vear, and particularly on the AVest Const of the North Island,, where small grazing runs are numerous. Cases were quoted lately by the "Ot.igo Dailv Times" in which farmers had been called upon to pay four or five tinus as much as they bad had to pay prior to (he enactment of last year, and instances of even greater hardship were quoted bv Sir.,Newman when he last mentioned the subject in tho House.