FINDING AND SQUANDERING REVENUE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 99, 28 April 1922, Page 9

FINDING AND SQUANDERING REVENUE.

(To tbe Editor.) Sir, —The Government here have been puzzling- their brains how to iucrease the meiiuc, and raise money for the upkeep of the Apia water system. Some time it ago it wae nwoted that the water rate would be 2 per cent on the value of the buildings. This was turned down by the residents, who thought it was too much. To get over the difficulty, the buildings have all been revalued, and the property owners of Apia, now find themselves "suddenly rich," according to the new Government valuation. A building for many years valued at £80, being very aged, and hanging' together with, rusty nails, is now worth £400 for taxation and water rate purposes. A building formerly valued «t £500 is now £2000. It is easily seen that the Government who accepted the residents' protest at the 2 per cent water rate are going to have their own way efter all. The minimum water rate is £5 for any building within a certain radius of the water main. The £500 old building, now increased in value to £2000, will pay a water rate of £10 per year and a, property tax of £20. This is the, outcome of the Government benevolent, scheme to make the property owners wealthy, i cannot understand why; New Zealand demands three times thei former revenue to carry on the administration when we have about 20 per< cent les e population than before the epidemic. The German administration were in power 13 years and 8 mouth:;, during which period they built courthouses, custom-house?, public schools, bridge*, roads, wireless station, and the hospital. The Jfew Zealand control commenced under military rule in August, 1914, and has been eight years in New Zealand hands. The revenue hag been on the increase from the start, and there is evidently a serious Shortage, and we would like to know why. Nothing has been done that is of any real benefit to the place, exueut the water system, which lias cost far more than was really neeesaary. Is it not to be wondered that residents who have lived in Samoa for many years, and under various Governments, have pleasant memories of the past and regret the present state of affaire? —1 am, etc., MAKUIA SAMOA.