VACANT PREMISES

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 66, 19 March 1931, Page 14

VACANT PREMISES

A RATING QUESTION

By an originating summons, naming the Auckland City Corporation as' the defendant, Samuel Vaile and Sons, Ltd., of Auckland, asked the Court of Appeal to-day to determine whether under certain circumstances they were liable for a full year's or a-half-year's rates on particular properties- in Auckland.

•.The- Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) presided, and with his Honour were associated. Mr. Justice Eeod, Mr. Justico Adams, Mr. Justice' Ostler, and Mr. Justice* Smith.

Mr. E. H. Northcroft, of Auckland, with Mr. L. Wilson, appeared for Samuel Vaile and Sons, Ltd., and Mr. ,T. O'Shca, with Mr. Stanton (Auckland) for the Auckland City Corporation.

The plaintiff is the owner or acts as agent for other owners of certain classes of property in Auckland, Pro-' mises became vacant and remained unoccupied for a period of not less than six months in the 1929-30 rating year, and within 34 days of tho expiration of such period tho plaintiff gave notice in writing of tho respective dates upon which the premises became vacant, and upon which they became occupied again. The plaintiff paid to tho defendant onehalf only of the rates for that year, as assessed and charged by the; defendant. The Corporation, which had assessed and rated each of the properties separately, claimed the remaining half of Iho rates, but the plaintiff refused to pay thorn. Legal argument is proceeding.

, Tho JRoy. B. De Toil, of the Church of England Missionary Society, arrived by the tfangitane Jto-day from Southampton.- lie is to talic up mission.Ayork in tlio Meinucsiaji Islands.; ;■:'-* : ,