Council to seek rates from Maori land now in use

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 586, 16 May 1995, Page 5

Council to seek rates from Maori land now in use

The council is to take action to recover rates from properties which are being used but are listed as having Maori owners with addresses unknown. The Ruapehu District Council revenue manager Carl Perrin presented his monthly report to councillors at their April meeting, stating that the inspection of 220 properties that fell under the category of unoccupied Maori land had been carried out. 'The main item of interest to emerge from this inspection was the number of properties actually being used for occupied for farming purposes," stated Mr Perrin. "In our records they are shown mostly as 'Maori owners - address unknown'."

"Where an occupier has been discovered, action will now be taken to recover revenue from that individual or company," he said. The status of the majority of properties matched council' s records. In another part of the report, he told councillors that a section on Tokirima Road which was shown as having Maori owners - address unknown, would have rates arrears written off. The land was not in use, with only "the Hauhau Niu flag poles in existence". He said the land is valued at $50 and the outstanding rates were $2375.35. Currently the council has nine properties subject to rating or mortgagee saies.