ONE TREE HILL BOARD.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 111, 12 May 1926, Page 17

ONE TREE HILL BOARD.

THE BALANXE-SHEET,

A letter to the editor from H. B. Dobbie. was evidently written under a misunderstanding. Plainly the writer misunderstood the balance-sheet. The chairman of the One Tree Hill Road Board, Mr. Beg. G. Clark, accompanied by Mr. C. L. Mclntosh, a member of his council, to-day called at the "Star" to make the following statement:—

"Our attention has been drawn by j several ratepayers to a letter from Mr. Dobbie. to the'effect that £7804 3/4 was outstanding in rates on March 31, and that eventually the defaulters would have to pay nearly £800 in penalties. We are sorry that Mr. Dobbie has so far forgotten himself, as to besmirch the reputation of the One Tree Hill ratepayers, who are mostly noted for their prompt payment of rates, by making such a misstatement. He has not understood the balance-sheet, for the sheet actually shows that the amount of outstanding rates is only £1697 10/2. Of this amount £560 is in dispute with a local institution, and if the law disallows fliis amount the outstanding rates to the date mentioned will be only £1137 —and let it be now understood that many demands have been paid since March 31, so that the actual outstanding money is such as to compare more than favourably with that of any other local body. One Tree Hill is one of Auckland's most favoured localities, a residential suburb in harmony with the best suburbs of any city, and one in the highest demand by people who wish to establish beautiful homes. It is apparent, therefore, that rates outstanding in such a suburb can be but trifling. And in any case they can always be recovered —with the penalty Mr. Dobbie stresses. But, in any case, we are not bothering about that. We advise our ratepayers to meet" the demand as so6n as possible, and they do. Naturally there are cases in which the finding of the rates on the date due is a matter of difficulty to the ratepayer. We recognise that, but even the veriest fool in local government should recognise that outstanding rate in One Tree Hill to the extent of nearly £8000 would be impossible under any but the veriest tyro management. "Mr. Dobbie further states that his own rates have increased from £12 to nearly £24 within four yearis. Mr. Dobbie forgets to mention that during that time there was an increase in his valuation of £900. The actual rates by himself, as chairman of the One Tree Hill Road Board, during 1921-22, were lid and Id in the £, while the present board, during its three years, levied rates of ljd, 1 l-Bd, 1 l-Bd." This compares favourably with the rates struck during Mr. Dobbie's term of office. "Mr. Dobbie refers to the board as a board of visionaries. Well, perhaps it is better to be a visionary than to have no vision at all, than to not even have the sight to read a plain balance-sheet."