HELPING SOLDIERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 37, 12 February 1917, Page 6

HELPING SOLDIERS.

REMISSION OF RATES AND TAXES. WAITEMATA COUNTY COUNCIL. MINISTER'S EXPLANATION. The Waitemata County Council, at its meeting-, had before it an application from a mother for the remission of the rates of her son, who was a soldier. In this connection the Clerk submitted a copy of a letter addressed by him to the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Russell) at Wellington, suggesting that the Government should make a special grant to City Councils for this purpose. Mr. Russell had replied, stating that he could not give effect to the request, as the Government had already made provision in the direction indicated by an Order-iii-Council ot the loth January, 1917. He stated that the Bruce County Council originally brought up the same matter, but the president of the Counties' Association made the following statement:— "While approving of the spirit which prompts the Bruce County Council in urging the desirableness of remitting rates due by those who are at present absent on active service, 1 feel that it would not be a wise provision to make, as, being optional on the part of Local Bodies, it would be interpreted or acted upon differently by the various public bodies, having rating .powers, as I feel sure that it could not be confined to County Councils. The amount of benefit received by some individuals would be very great, while to other equally deserving persons the benefit would be trifling. The difficulties arising in cases •where special rates of various amounts are mposed would probably make the adjustment very troublesome, and complicate the accounts of local bodies considerably- For this reason Ido not approve of this suggestion." By Order-in-Council provision was made for financial assistance to voluntary recruits, the expenditure to be made by, and under the authority of, the Minister of Defence, and to apply (inter alia) to rates and taxes. Such assistance was to be computed and granted by way of periodical payments at a rate not exceeding £- per week. There were several applications on the file for remission, and tiie Clerk recommended that a reply be sent to the effect that the Government had already made provision as stated, for financial assistance, where desired, in the payment of rates. The recommendation was adopted.