NATIVE RATING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 244, 5 March 1913, Page 5

NATIVE RATING.

- ■ : ■ 1 BRISTLING \YITiI DIFFICULTIES.. ; By Telegraph—Press Association. ■ Gisbome, Monday. > In reply to deputations to-day, urging that the. natives should be placed ' oil the same footing ;• s the l-jj-opeans' with regard to rates. Mr. Hcrries said that the task of rating native land > seemed to be superhuman, but he had asked local bodies to make some suggestions. By getting suggestions frdm everyone they might < : volve something that would .meet'the difficulty. The 1 difficulty arose in the communist system of holding lands. It seemed to him that their efforts should be devoted to trying to individualise the titles, and then the rating difficulty would disappear. The thin« bristled with difficulties, but if it could bo solved he would try to do it. He would call a meeting of representatives of county councils who could deal with the matter, and especially would clerks be welcome, }ie~ cause they had generally tried all tills different Acts and they could give valuable suggestions. lie believed thaj • something could be done, and he Was going to suggest that the three years should be extended to six years, and then they might get a sum of money worth going for. The chairman: You aigree that .the natives should pay rates? The Minister: Yes. He added that if they worked on a communal title it was rather rough on. the native who worked his section and paid rates while the others got off. ; Mr Herries will remain in the Gisborne district until Thursday, when he leaves for Auckland, via the Coast bays. Tomorrow he will go over the railway line, and on Wednesday will be present at the hui at Manutuke.