The Opunake Times FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1895. RATING NATIVE LANDS.

Opunake Times, Volume II, Issue 87, 3 May 1895, Page 2

The Opunake Times FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1895. RATING NATIVE LANDS.

When the Hon Mr Reeves visited Opunak<i, Mr A. McKeown, Chairman of the Waimate Road Board, waited on him re the question of rating native lands, and he has now received the following reply : * Office of the Minister of Labor. Wellington, 20th April, 1895. Abthob McKeown, Esq., Pihama, Taranaki. Sir, —Referring to the question of rating on Native Reserve?, which you brought under the notice of the Hon Mr Beeves when he was in Opunake, I am directed to forward you the attached memorandum which the Minister has received in reply to his representations to the Public Trustee on the matter.—l am, <fec, W. Crow, Private Secretary. The following is the memorandum referred to in the secretary's letter : Public Trust Office, Wellington, Bth April, 1896. The Hon Mb Beeves, Wellington. BATES ON NATIVE BESEBVES. The names of the owners of the reserves for which the County Council desires to obtain rates would not help the Council. These Native Beserves are vested in the Public Trustee, and the question of the rates to which they are alleged to be liable, was under my consideration when I received your memorandum of enquiry. I am now in correspondence with the Hawera County Council on the subject:, and I have recently received from other local bodies in Taranaki notices of demands for rates. The question is one of uncertainty and difficulty to every party. If the local bodies should even ultimately establish a claim against me, the claim must remain unsatisfied generally for want of funds applicable to the rates, unless the lands, which are the inalienable property of the natives, should be sold. The sale, however, is, I think, out of the question. I, as Trustee for the native owners, could not, perhaps, w;th propriety, assist in the establishment against these reserves of any olaim which cannot be legally enforced. The rating of the lands, even where they are producing an income to the owners, must seriously diminish that income and the amount which its distribution Affords to a very large number of the native owners. The local bodies might help towards a solution of the present difficulty by explaining how the liability of the reserves to the payment of rates arises. (Signed) J. K. Warbukton, Public Trustee.

This matter was pushed by Mr McGloin, as a member of the Taranaki County Council, but that body was too dilatory to take any decisive steps to test the matter, although Mr McGloin followed the matter up until he got an admission from the Colonial Treasurer that such lands were liable under the Bating Act, 1894. The Waimate Road Board then took the matter in hand, and appealed to the other local bodies interested to join with it and test the liability of the lands, through the Trustee. In ac* cordance with this resolve the various local bodies have claimed payment of rates from the Trustee, and judging by the tenor of his memorandum to the Hon Mr Reeves, be finds himself in a correi*. We cannot say that the memorar dum is very clear, as it bears evidence of a thorough belief in the taihoa policy. Rates are only recoverable for two years, and every year he can delay settlement means another year's rates lost to the local bodies interested. He says the question is one of uncertainty and difficulty to every party. "We do not see that there need be any u jcertainty or difficulty about it. The "Rating Act, 1894," sets forth "native land" to mean all land or interest in land, the property of aborig nal natives of New Zealand, whether aeld under their own customs or usages or otherwise howsoever. This claase interpretation does not leave any uncertainty or difficulty, if an Act oi' Parliament means anything. There is then an exemption glause exempting any native land situate more than five miles from any public road or highway. Wo do not see, in the face of these clauses, what difficulty there 'Can be in rating lands not more tban five miles from a publjg road or highway. He then goes on to say that should a claim he established

against lim, it would have to remain unsatisfied generally for want of funds applicable to the rates, unless the lands were sold, but selling them he considers out of the question, as they are inalienable/ This contingency, however, has been provided for in the Act in clause 68, which sets forth that no native land may be sold for rates unless the case is first enquired into by a Trust Commissioner under " The Native Lauds Frauds Prevention Act, 1894," tnd that he sanctions the sale or lien. To give local bodies a free hand the same clause provides that such enquiry shall be held free of cost. It is therefore very clear that they may be alienated, notwithstanding the opinion of the Trustee to the ctntrary. He ther says he could not, with propriety, : ssist in the establishment of any dim against these reserves, which c innot be legally enforced. By this we suppose; he means that he should lot give any information with regard ;o owners' names, individual interest*, &c. In reply to this we do not see why he should not, as a matter of common honesty, give all the information in his power. Merchants have to supply invoices and particulars of imports on which they have to pay Custom;; duties; landholders have cotnpulsorily to supply particulars of land for Land Tax; and all others have to supply particulars of their means for the purpose of Income Tax; then why should there be any hesitancy ot< his part to supply particulars for local taxation if such taxation is legal ? If such taxation is not legal, then supplying the particulars does not pla-.-e him or his wards in any worse position. The next reason is so absurd that we are surprised at him putting it forward. He says : " The rating of the lands, even where they are producing an income to the owners, must seriously diminish that income and the amount which its distribution affords to a very large number of the native owners." We may say we cannot understand what he means by the latter part of this clause, and question very much if he does himself. Ail we know is that the lands producing an income to the owners are iu nearly e?ery case leased to Europeans, and the European occupiers have to pay the rates. We never heard of any Europe&n tenant getting a refund of rates paid from the native owners, and consequ mtly we cannot see how it can prejudicially affect the native owners at all. Finally, he says: " The local bodies might help towards a solution of the present difficulty by explaining how the liability of the reserves to the payment of rates arises." This is very simple. It arises through their very justly being included in rateable property under the Rating Act, 1894. There is a very easy solution of the difficulty. Let the Trustee out the lands up and put them up for settlement at reasonable upset prices. All of. them which do not go at the first upset, unless there are exceptional circumstances, should be put up at a reduced rental until they are taken up, and by this means it would be a very short time until they were all occupied by Europeans, who would beeome ratepayers and remove the uncertainty and difficulty which is now disturbing his peaci-) of mind. We trust that the local bodies interested will push the matter, and compel him to either pay rates or get the lands settled, for the administration of these < reserves has been a disgrace to the Government for long enc ugh already.

The Stratford races were yesterday postponed till to-day, as it was then raining heavily.

Mr Wr.iter Bead warns sportsmen from trespassing on his property in pursuit of game.

The Hr uraki Company is getting very rich stone. A month's returns is estimated at over 6000 ounces, valued at about £25,000. In our ! ;at issue " Frost," in his tips for Wellington races, selected first and second horses for the Thompson Handicap, and two placed ones for the Bailway Handicap. Mr A. McWilliam, manager of the New Zealand JJoan and Mercantile Company's dairy business at Mangatoki, was married to Mr John Heslop's eldest daughter, Ethel, on Tuesday last at Hawera. It is said a German prisoner constructed a watch about three inches in diameter with no other materials than two needles, a spool of thread, a newspaper, and! some rye straw. It ran six hours without winding and kept good time.

Some time between Sunday night and Monday the three core cables across Cook Strait parted. It is not expected that there will be any block of work. The exact locality o! the break in the cable has not yet been ascertained.

Saturday is re-gazetted the half-holiday for Auckland, Parnell, Newton, and Newmarket in accordance with the decision of the Auckland Conference to meet technical objections raised in the recent test cases there. It is understood that the inspector intends to striotly enforce the law. The fact was reoently mentioned by a Napier paper that a Hastings tradesmen, in sending notices calling a meeting of his creditors, had forwarded the invitations in mourning envelopes. This our contemporary thinks most characteristic of the melancholy event.

We regret to hear that Mr J. M. Hickey's boy had his leg broken on Tuesday evening. It appears he and his brothers were amusing themselves playing football, when he fell and met with the accident. The same little fellow had the other leg broken a short time ago by being thrown from a horse.

The korero between Mr Carroll and the Uriwera h.is resulted in the natives finally agreeing that triangulation shall go on, and that there shall be no more unpleasantness on their side. Matters were brought to an issue by the old chief Kereru, who last year gave the Premier the taiaha. He said he had promised there should be no opposition, and he was not going to eat his words. After this nothing v/as said. The Savings Bank returns for the quarter ending 31s-t March show 8283 new accounts opened, as against 7784 in the corresponding quarter lant year, and 591 G accounts closed, as against 5623. The number of deposits was 56,868, as against 52,916. The number of withdrawal was 38,011, against 37,543. The deposits were £725,273 13s, withdrawals £569,333 43 6d, the excess of deposits over Withdrawals being £10G,825 9s 6d. It is remarkable that in eyery district the deposits exceed tin withdrawals. In Auokland the excess was £30,536 163; in Christchurch, £31,625 9s Id; in Dunedin, £21,897 17s 4d, at the Thames, £10,518 9s 3d; and in Wellington, £8612, 14s 6d. Christohurch has the larggsf total of deposits, £140.943 4s 8d; Wellington, £134,67114s lid; Dunedin, £102,287 6s 7d; Auckland, £112,904 12s sd,

Mr Nwton King notifies entries for his Bahotu sale on Wednesday next. We give a reminder of the Paiihaka Road Board election which takes place on Tuchday next. There are eight candidates from whom seven members are to be selected.

Mr Joseph Ivess has retired from the editorial chair and management of the Egmont Post and Eltham Guardian, having disposed of his interest in those papers. Messrs Newman Bros notify the arrival from the South of 500 sacks of first-class feed oats, also further shipments of grass seeds, wheat, and pollard. Mr A. J. Balfour, in addressing the members of the Primrose League, declared that the old Radicalism was played oat, and that the Liberal party was impotent while it was linked with the Irish party. An explosion has taken place in Denny colliery in Glasgow. The details show that 177 persons were working at that time, and of these 160 have been rescued. It is believed that the remainder have been killed.

A basket supper and dance is to be held in the Town Hall on the 24th May in aid of the Anglioan Church funds. An energetio committee has been appointed to carry out the arrangements, and we anticipate a very successful night's entertainment. Mr T. McLaughlan, a pioneer resident of Beefton, end a successful mining speculator, died on Tuesday morning, after a very long illness. He was very largely indentified in quartz mining since the opening of the reefs here and was greatly respeoted. He was a native of Roscommon, Ireland and was 54 years old. The cause of death was heart disease.

The s.s. Kanieri arrived on Thursday from Wellington and sailed for Waitara andManakau in the evening. Imports: Kennedy, 2pkgs; Mcßeynolds, Pungarehu, 63pkgs; Rutherford and Son, Bpkgs; Stitt, 66pkgs; Simeon, Rahotu, 2pkgs ; Trueman, 17pkgs ; Christie and Co, llpkgs; McLeod, lpkg; Opchakb Times, lpkg: Claris, 3pkg. Exports: G. W. Rogers, 54 hides, 3 bundles skins.

Messrs White and Garter, drapers, of New Plymouth, have decided on opening a branch of their e tablishment in Opunake, and have taken a shop temporarily in Seccombe'i buildings, where, under the management of Mr Percy White, they have opened a completely assorted stock of general drapery and clothing, which they intend offering to the public of Opunake at town prices.

The s.s. Eanieri arrived from Manakau on Monday, and sailed for Moutueka and Wellington in the evening. Imports: Colmer and Bradley, Rahotu, 26pkgs; Seccombe Bros, 44pkgs; Ringwood and Co, Manaia, Spkgs; Pettigrew, 3pkgs ; Howard, Manaia, 6pkgs ; Simeon, Rahotu, lOpkga ; McCarthy, Manaia, spkgs; Kennedy, 2pkgs; Newman Bros, Ipkg. Exports: Rev G. T. Marshall, 6pkgs; Aulesbrook and Co, 2pkgs. A numerously signed requisition has been forwarded to the Premier asking him to deliver an address at Opunake, should he pay his contemplated visit to Parihaka. The Chairman of the Town Board wired him that th» petition had been forwarded and received the following reply:—" If time permits I will be very pleased to deliver an address when on my visit to the West Coast. I will give you timely notice.—R. J. Skddon, Wellington."

We understand a first-class programme, is being arranged for the social to be held on next Wednesday evening by the Wesleyan congregation in the Town Hall, as a formal welcome to the Rev Mr Cannell. There will be a num 3er of instrumental items in the programme in which the Misses Cannell will take part, which will be a treat to lovers of good music, as they are very accomplished musicians, on the violin and piano. An extra good programme will be provided, and a very pleasant evening's amusement provided. It is reported that the directors of the Southland Frozen Meat Company have decided to take action against Nelson Bros for £30,000 damages for breach of contract. The claim is based on the allegation that after having entered into an agreement with the Company not to compete here in the freezing business with them, Nelson Bros were directly concerned in the establishment of the Ocean Beach Freezing Works at the Bluff. Sir R. Stout has been retained by the plaintiffs, and a writ will be served in England as soon as the necessary authority is conveyed by cable. The s.s. Kennedy arrived from Wellington on Wednesday with nearly 100 tons of cargo. Imports:— Newman Bros, 864pkgs; Trueman, 42pkgs ; Swinnerton, Rahotu, 4pkgs; Simeon, Rahotu, 24pkgs; Harvay, Pungarehu, lpkg|; Wagstaff Bros, Pihama, 32pkgs; :vlrs Ballard, lpkg: West, Rahotu, lpkg ; Kennedy, 14pkgs; Pettigrew, 28pkgs ; Macßeynolds, Pungarehu, 57pkgs; Rev. J. W. Chapman, lpkg; Knowles, 3pkgs; Scott, HCpkgs ; G. W. Rogers, 64pkgs. Exports : Rutherford and Son, 64 bales hemp; G. W. Rogers, 7 casks tallow; Newman Bros, 13pkgs butter. The Kennedy sailed for Wellington on Thursday.

Mr William MacKenzie, the Scottish vocalist, who toured New Zealand with Bessie Doyle, the famous violinist, has been prevailed upon by lovers of Scottish song and admirable vocalism to visit Opunake on the 10th. W*i are pleased to announce his advent. Mr MacKenzie has scored such success in his unique entertainments of mirth, music, song and story, that everywhere he goes people of all nations aro aroused to enthusiasm, and frequently cheer him at the conclusion of his concerts. Mr MacKenzie will, we are sure, meet with a cordial reception here, and we hope that the popular entertainer and his talented company will carry away very pleasant remembrances of their visit to Opunake. In accordance with Siamese custom, the body of the late Prince of Siam, after being very tightly bound up, with the knees brought up under the chin, was introduced into an iron urn, which was again put into a magnificent urn of gold, studded with precious stones. This has been placed on a golden, four-sided, truncated pyramid, about 9ft high and 12ft square at the base, in a small room in a building adjoining the grand palace. A large body of Buddhist priests chanting appropriate prayers in an adjoining room night and day, and several of the king's brothers are in constant attendance round the catafalque. And there the body will remain, probably for a whole year, to be then consigned to the flames with extraordinary pomp on an enormous funeral pile.

In the last Primer of Edward YI there is a •• Prayer for Landlords " which soon fell into disuse, perhaps from its offensivencss to many who did not recognise in it the economy which " buys in the cheapest and sells in the dearest market." Let tho prayer speak: " The earth is Thine, and all that therein is, notwithstanding Thou has given the possession thereof to the children of men. We heartily pray Thee to send Thy Holy Spirit into the hearts of them that possess the grounds and pastures of the earth ; that they, remembering themselves to be Thy Tenants, may not rack and stretch out the rents of their houses and lands, nor yet take unreasonable tines >ind incomes, after the manner of worldings; but so let them out that the inhabitants therefore may be able to pay the rents, and to live and nourish their families, and to nourish the poor." Our Parliament might re-enact this prayer for the Public Trustee.

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