A PARADOXICAL POSITION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 637, 24 January 1914, Page 5

A PARADOXICAL POSITION.

.«. NATIVE TOWNSHIPS, AND HOSPITAL RATES.

A somewhat peculiar situation has been created in connection with the establishont of native town councils within a county. The Act which conjtituted the native townships, and the election of a town council, apparently intended to confer upon the council the powers and functions of a localauthority suitable for a township which had not sufficient population to become a European borough council. However, no provision was made for the payment of a hospital rate by the town council, and though the rate is levied by the Hospital Board over the township of Otorohanga the rate is paid by the Waitomo County Council. Moreover, the County Council has apparently no power to collect the rate within the township area, and the amount has to be paid out of tho general fund. The county ratepayers are thus penalised to the extent of the township hospital rate, while owners of township property escape. In view of the position the matter was referred by the clerk of the Waitomo County Council to the Counties Association for the purpose of obtaining the opinion of the association's solicitor as to the legal position. The solicitor's opinion has not yet been received, but the secretary of the association has replied stating the position has evidently been created through an oversight in the framing of the Native Townships Act. It anpears as though special legislation will he necessary in order to put the matter on an equitable footing.