NATIVE LANDS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 June 1933, Page 8

NATIVE LANDS

INFLUENCE OF TE WHITS AND TO HU STILL APPARENT IN TARANAKI NEW PLYMOUTH, June 24. When the Native Lauds Rating Committee, consisting of the Hon. A. D. McLeod, chairman, Mr R. N. Jones c hief Judge of the Native Lands Court, and Mr J. N. Reid, chairman of the Opotiki County Council, met in Hawera to inquire into the rating of native lands in South Taranaki with the object of alleviating the pressure of rates on- natives throughout the Dominion, it was mentioned that the influence of Te Wliiti and Tohu, the chiefs who caused trouble in Taranaki in the early days, was still apparent to-day. In a round table discussion, information of the position as it existed in Hawera, Waimate West, and the Egrnont County councils was given by the county clerks.and by the managing secretary of the Hawera Hospital Board. Mr G. W. Rogers, Egmont county clerk, said in his district the influence of Te Whiti and Tohu was by no means extinct and accordingly, great difficulty was experienced in collecting rates in the south riding. However, all the native land was leased t 0 Europeans and the rates were paid. In the central and north ridings there was a large number of small native sections, on many of which the Maori owners lived and milked rows. The communal system was practically nonexistent, except at Parihaka Pa. The Maoris on these small sections supplied the different dairy factories, and practically all of them were “up to their eyes “in debt with orders on their milk cheques. In i() years, the Egmont County Council had written off £6340 in unpaid native rates. Mr McLeod said the object of the visits was to obtain suggestions from those in direct contact with Maori landholders. The committee had found that, in the main, county councils were generously disposed toward the natives in collecting rates, although it was generally conceded that thpy ought to make more satisfactory use of their holdings. It different parts of the country, efforts were being made under various development schemes t 0 increase the productivity of native land and the committee had been very ■ favourably impressed with the results that had been achieved. The methods adopted were progressive, and, if the schemes could be continued as at present, lie-felt sure many native problems exercising the minds of those in authority would gradually disappear.