Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 1881. RATING NATIVE LANDS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 82, 14 June 1881, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 1881. RATING NATIVE LANDS.

••)■• ;■- *,— ■ — -, -,■♦■-. •;..',! ■•■, ,:, ■ .<_ ,- ;. The important question of rating lands belonging to natives was brought prominently be/ore the country last session by Major Atkinson, in his Financial Statement, but he took up th 6 - questiqn in a , halfhearted , way. , After .pointing out that eleven millions of acres in the North Island are held by about 41,000 natives— men, women, and children ; thai 'not onehalfpenny in the way of rates has ever been imposed on the natives for the- (Construction of the bridges and roads which have so enormously ifacreased. ,tlje value of their lands ; and that all Maori property was exempted from taxation under the property Tax, •"-the , Treasurer proceeded to annouhceithat .the Government had de-i jj^r'ttiined to make .Maori lands in owoiigfa subject to taxation to the same exteufc as the property of their fellotyroitizens. Further than that they wera iot r prepared r to go, as^they proposed ltd payinera%es <j bniiativecoun irytlajida/frojn Government; w^nejs. The subject is a very wide' one, but we miy say, : a£ ©noe^ha.t^w/*f|ee. #o, reason why the natives should not i pay rates to the locals bbdiea. MPhe> basis bf taxation is, that they who mtdbiMWtm^ny fortn : of J gty.' vernment should in a proportionately equal share assist in supporting it. Judged by this standard, there is no

J^flMonlwhy the natives should not pfty rates to both the County Couucils and High ways Board . They use the roads and bridges made by those bodies more frequently than the average of Europeans, and their holdings are so extensive and numerous thatf'jaiey acquire a proportionately .greater share of profit from road-mak-iug than the European settlers. Why, then? should they not contribute to the revenue of the local bodies ? We are at a loss to understand, and Major Atkinson, in his budget last of the Government as follows:— "We think,, after a careful consideration of all the circumstances of the case, that on grounds of public policy we may reasonably exempt the owners of native coujatry-land, from the payment of rates;";; H^Tiat the "grounds of public plolicy ■" /were, the Treasurer did not state, but we presume they were the dread of further disaffection of the najjivjes if compelled to pay rates^ If certain limitations are affixed, there need be no fear of trouble r on, that score. We would propose, 1.; To rate only those native lauds adjoining public roads. 2. To limit the rate on native lands, to say 3d in the £. 8. To give the. local bodies power to seize the land and lease it whenever the rates jwere left unpaid for three years. 4. jlhat in cases whore the owaership of; the land had not been declared, the proceeds of the leasing over and above the amounc required to satisfy the rates should be paid into the Public "Trust office; to remain there until the separate interests of the owners wove declared, when each native would receive his: or her share. 5. That in all. cases the County Council or other local body should have the option of bringing into force or leaving in abeyance the power of rating native lands. If the native lands were rated upon some such plan as that suggested, we believe the difficulties would soon melt away, aud especially if. the rating of them were left to the option of the local bodies. The time for treating the natives as fools or children has gone past, for they are neither. They can drive a bargain with more shrewdness than mauy Europeans, as a large number know to their cost. Let them therefore be taught that roads, bridges, and such conveniences can only be maintained by those who use them and are benefitted by them assistiug in their maintenance. This question will soon become a most important one to this county. The inland road from Foxton to Waikanae will pass almost entirely through native lands, and when once formed will have to be mantained. It will vastly enhance the value of the adjoiniug lands, and the increased value will be pocketed by the natives, while the money for maintaining the road will come, we hardly know where from. It will probably become a burden upon the rest of the riding, or the general funds of the county. The road must be maintained, and if the riding cannot do it the county must. We do not expect the natives would all at once fall in with the idea of paying rates ; but when they found they would have to disgorge, we feel convinced they would speedily lease or sell their properties and so into the hear, of the country.. This would be a positive benefit, as thousands of acres of good land iv their hands, lying idle and unproductive, would soon be settled, and add to the products and wealth of the country.