NATIVE LANDS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 57, 29 August 1911, Page 3

NATIVE LANDS.

i PAYMENT OF HATES. I DEPUTATION TO THE ACTIXIiI PREMIER. Representatives who had attended the Conference of County Councils waited on the Acting-Prime Minister (Sir .lames Carroll) last week, and laid the results of its deliberations before him. The deputation made a point of the fact that it was against the pereptuation of road boards, and that Covernment subsidies should, as far as possible, be granted in accordance with the urgency of the works to be carried out. Further, the conference decided that all subsidies should be paid on a basis of Ss in the £ on general rates collected up to the prescribed maximum. On the subject of the rating of native lands, the conference claimed that I lie present legislation was cumbrous and iuellicient, and it urged that the Act should be amended so as to enable local bodies to enforce judgment for rates on lands that have passed through the Court, and the titles to which ha\e been ascertained.

Sir James Carroll, in reply, he thought the deliberations of the conference was productive of good. lie was sorry the Local (ioverument Bill was not "ready for submission—it was now on the stocks, but the matters now put before him would assist the (iovernment in framing it. The country had outgrown the present system, and a comprehensive measure was necessary. Careful attention would he given to the question of franchise. He thought the conference was perfectly right in discouraging the .subdivision of counties, and in encouraging amalgamation wherever circumstances warranted, and also in regard to the abolition of road boards. As to finance, that was the biggest hurdle of the lot; that was the base on : which they must build their edifice, and ■it requireda lot of working out in order that it should be effective and adequate. In the system of subsidies, it was a question of whether they could find a system of finance sufficient for the purposes of local bodies. He did not think , there would be any objection in regard to the proposals for the progress payments of grants. Also, he thought it was a fair proposition that subsidies should be given to those bodies whose necessities were greatest. As to the rating of native lands, he though there had been a lot of misconception, and confusing of what obtained under the previous Act and what is now the law. Local bodies could sue, but only recover the amount for which u, joint owner was liable. They could either put in a received and lease the land and out of the proceeds pay the rates, or a portion of the land could he cut off and the proceeds devoted to paying the rates. That law, of course, would not operate so as to deprive a native of all his land. He would give the new Act a trial. They would have the assistance of the Maori land boards, and they would he of great use, as they j were familiar with the owners' conditions of each block, and could he appointed by the local bodies as receivers. The Public Trustee paid rates on all lands held by him that were bringing in revenue, except those which were held wide: an occupation license.