RATING NATIVE LAND.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 155, 13 May 1909, Page 2

RATING NATIVE LAND.

County Councils Conference

An important conference of delegate; from counties in the Auckland Province was held at Auckland on Wednesday to discuss the present law with regard to the enforcement of the payment of rates due by Natives. Mr B. Hewett, chairman of the Raglan County Council presided, > and there were also present the following representatives: Messrs G. T. Claudon, and McLeod, Ilokianga, Monganui and Whangaroa; V. F. Kerr-Tay-lor and A. Cochran, Waitemata; C. A. Gawkweii, Northern p'ounties; Ludbrook, Bay of Islands; Gapt. Swindley, Coromandel; R. W. Bagnall, Thames; Grace, Ohinemuri; J. Gordon, Waikato; W. H. Mandeno, Waipa; Jeremiah and John Ormsby, Waitomo; J. Shaw, Kawhia; W. M. Bankart and H. Marsiand, Raglan. There were also present, Messrs W. F. Massey, W. Jennings, H. J. Greensi ade, U. H. Fooje, F. Lawry, and L. R. Philips, M's.P. Communications were read from Rodney, Hobson, and Whangarei County Counclis, intimating that they were in accord with the aims of the Conference.

The chairman, Mr Hewett, reviewed briefly what had been done by the Raglan County to endeavour to collect the rates on the Native owned lands in Raglan County. In 1906-7 the rates due on these lands amounted to £1306, and of this amount £3 6s 5d had been collected. The following year, out of air amount of £ISOB due, £4 10s Id was cohepieq.' In 1907 he, in company with Councillor Bankart, went to Wellington and interviewed the Prime Minister, and Sir Joseph Ward appeared impressed with their representations. They felt now that as special loans were becoming common as the only means of reading counties, they found that where the Native lands existed in large areas, t*iey wpre piaevicailv u..ab'ie fo laics loaiH. Th.; L'&ur.iy Councils roamed country <.vhk'h was 'artrely owned by Natives, ar.d the .Wives paid nothing at all towards the cost, reaping the benems of g-.jcd roacij, towards tlie upkeep of thwivh they contributed nothing. The question was fully discussed by the members of the conference, and a resolution was carried unanimously, pointing out the defects in the Rating Act, and asking the Government to provide remedial measures.