No rates for some Maori land

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 425, 25 February 1992, Page 1

No rates for some Maori land

And council writes off $280,000 MAORI LAND IN MULTIPLE OWNERSHIP which is largely unimproved is to be exempt from Ruapehu District Council rates. The council decided at its last meeting to accept the recommendations of a council-commissioned report written by Stuart Hunter, ex-Taumarunui County manager. In his report Mr Hunter recommended that the Council "accept the principle of derating Maori freehold land in multiple ownership by seeking an Order in Council to have land which is largely unimproved exempted from rating from the 1992/93 financial year", and that arrears to 30 June 1992 on qualifying properties be written off. Mr Hunter told the council that any procedures to collect rates off such land is "long, involved and costly". "You are not going to loose rates (under his system) because you are not collecting them now." Cr Lawson asked why the council should have two rates policies, one for Maori, and one for everybody else. "If a piece of land had five or six European owners we would hound them until they paid up," he said. Mr Hunter likened multiple ownership Maori land to Crown land. He said although one person may have a share in a piece of land, they would not make use of it because it was seen as belonging to everybody, just as Europeans don't consider using Crown land. The council heard that there was $281,715 owing on such properties and that the annual rates in 199192 terms is $80,000. About 200 properties in the district fell into the category. To encourage development of such land (for the benefit of the district and so that it could become rateable), he also recommended that "Maori land leased or alienated through the Court be considered for annual rate remissions to encourage development and that the rate payable for the first year be 12.5 per cent of full rates increasing by 12.5 per cent of full rates per year thereafter Teaching 100 per cent in year eight". Mr Hunter said the recommendations would: • Tend to ensure similar treatment for all Maori land in the same condition (unimproved). • Promote the use of undeveloped land suitable for development which will thereafter produce rates. • Remove accumulated rates from the rate records. • Prevent fresh accumulations of rates arrears. • Eliminate the cost and time wasted levying and recording uncollectable rates.