NATIVE RATES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 245, 6 March 1913, Page 7

NATIVE RATES.

RESULT OP FIVE YEAI!,S' COLLECTION. The difficulty and, indeed, in many cases tlie impossibility of collecting rates from natives who use the roads often more than do their European neighbors.' but who do not feel inclined to assist towards their upkeep, has formed the' subject of discussion at meetings of local bodies for years past, and various methods have been suggested to overcome the diflicultv. The Patea County Council,' which, along with other Taratuiki local bodies, is a great suil'erer, has brought forward a suggestion that rates should be made a charging order on the lands affected. This n-heme it is proposed to submit to the Native .Minister, and in order to fully place its importance before him, county councils throughout Xew Zealand were circularised ' and asked to forward statistics. showing the amount of native rates levied and actually collected during'iflre past five years. Thirty-five, councils have forwarded their statistics, which have been tabulated, and certainly make interesting reading. Five counties realised the hopelessness of the position, so that no attempt has been made to collect the rate, Waimate West and Wairoa estimating their loss in this way at £3OOO per annum. Four counties in the list have few or no native lands, but the twenty-three others show that out of £46.540 levied only ,£12.477 has been recovered. Taranak! county has lost £370, ITawera £1551 (out of £1555). Patea £l2l. Stratford is fortunate in having no native lands, whilst Egmont. "Clifton and Eltham county returns are not included. The two former must be heavy losers. The list is as follows:-

£411.540 12.477 34.004 W hangaroa. Waipa and Piako made no attempt to collect. Ohinenmri struck no rate owing to such a faulty roll. "W iiiron kept 110 account. Weber lias 110 native lands. Makara and I\>hailgina have few native lands.

Collectable Coll'ct'd On.ts'nir. .0 ■c £ Hawke's ilay .. 400(5 1(170 3020 Pa tea 233 142 121 Hutt ■21.'! 10 225 Patanjrata 075 4(14 511 Tiajrlan (costs £70)' 3000 10 2!>00 Rangitikei -2511 Hi 10 !)01 Waipawa 447 74 373 Waitotara ■207 27 270 Waikoku 445 45 400 Mastortnn 443 413 3/ Waikarini) 47-52 •212 4520 Ilawera I.I.M 4 1551 Wliakatane .... r,io 20 400 Xatamata 11SS 223 000 WlianfraiiioiMona :?20 0 314 Bav of Islands . . 385 37 348 Akitio . "247 0 247 Tavaiiaki :,<u 224 370 Waiajm 18.405 558S 12.010 Coroniandcl ..., ill O 247 Hobson 7.31 284 453 (costs £20) Fealbcrstnii ... . .ISO o34 55 (costs £05) Cook 407s 1474 •2004