The Collection of Rates.

Now, in respect to the rates already collectable, a good many of you do not pay them at all. I am told that in one of the counties there were sixty cases sent to the Supreme Court for the Registrar to register against the lands for rates that had not been paid. In cases like these the responsibility is, of course, with the local bodies. They have to maintain the roads, which you use just as much as the Europeans, and where you are working your lands it is just as right that you should pay rates as Europeans. I am now going to show, however, that in this case, as in others, the local bodies do not act consistently. I shall show you that where the local bodies could get more money than from rates from the Maoris or from the dog-tax they are actually not collecting at all. I allude to the license-fees for gum-digging. The Kauri-gum Industry Act was passed in the interest of the Native race as well as in the interest of the European settlers, and also in the interest of the Europeans digging for gum. The local bodies have no right to let that revenue go by default, especially when they ask the Government to maintain the law as regards rates and dog-taxes. You Natives have large tracts of land upon which gum is found, and a large number of you are digging for gum. The Legislature has said, "We will protect the Native race by allowing them to dig on the reserves; and we will protect them from the large influx of aliens, who refrain from complying with the law." This law to protect the Natives, but it has been ignored by the page 79aliens and local bodies. If you were allowed to dig gum under these conditions you could pay your rates and dog-tax. Let the local bodies do their duty, and if they call upon the Government we will do ours, but let them act fairly and impartially towards every one in the counties. There is at least one exception to the rule—I refer to the Mongonui County Council, which has carried out the wishes of the Legislature, and by doing so has received from these sources over £1,000. The next time these local bodies come to the Government and ask for money for roads I will tell them to go and collect their own revenue first: they force you to pay your dog-tax and rates, as far as the law will permit, and at the same time allow other people to escape scot-free. This, I say, is not fair. If the local bodies will administer the laws fairly and impartially, my opinion is that the Natives will observe the laws. I believe if the Natives were treated fairly, firmly, and impartially, we would have no trouble with them.