Native Lands.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 310, 3 May 1907, Page 2

Native Lands.

The resolutions paswd at thj Taranaki local bolies conferenoe relative to native land rating and kindred matters ware brought before the Acting - Premier recently by ajdeputation. Mr Fall-Jones, in reply, said the native land rating and noxious weeds qnestMßM were of very great importance, an d he believed the Native Land Com nission was approaching a sKiga sha it would deal with both matters. It is vetpcertain that they could not go on allowing noxious weeds to grow, aid spread over native lands, or other lands, or allow native lands to escape without paying something i towni da the upkeep of roads. The noxious weed question would have to be dealt with promptly, and if there waa no power to make natives da the work it woald have to be done by Govemnimt, and the cost borne by the land, ana not by the general taxpayer. As rega ‘da the reading question, be re lised the dis: .vantage to the country of hav.‘ i; roads running r ’ongaide miles of native lands, which paid nothing at alt. Such lands iould bear their share of the coat, and if rates are not immediately recovered they would hive to consider tbe question of amending the law. “We are determined,'* he added, “that this has got to be brought to an end; and the land umde reproductive and made to bear its burden of the cost.” He hoped these matters would be a subject of the reoommem .tions made by tho Commission.