NATIVE RATES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1816, 31 July 1913, Page 7

NATIVE RATES.

DIFFICULTY OF COLLECTION. Unpaid rates on Native land, a subject not infrequently referred to in the Houso of Representatives, was brought under tho notice of the Government yesterday by a question from Sir Walter Buchanan. Ho asked the Government whether they would take tho necessary steps to enable various important local bodies in the North Island to recover tho largo ■ amount of rates duo on Native land. Ho pointed out that of a sum of ',£27,849 levied and duo on Native land during the last five years, in fourteen counties, only .£3686 were recovered, or equal ■'o 11 per cent.

The Hon. •W. F. Massey (Prime Minister) said that tho matter would be dealt ivith in tho Rating Act to be submitted to Parliament as mentioned in the Governor's Speech. Sir Walter Buchanan, referring to tho answer given to tho question, said tho amount of uncollected rates on Native lands was enormous. It was difficult to understand how any Government < could go on year, after year allowing settlers to be handicapped as they were, owing to these unpaid rate. This was not applicable to the district he represented, but his sympathies went out to settlers in those districts which had practically no roads at all, owing very largely to tho impossibility cf collecting rates for Native lands.. He' hoped something would 1)9 dono to make it possible for the local bodies to get somo return for the increased value of the land. He hoped the Government would really do something.