POSTPONED A YEAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 257, 30 October 1929, Page 12

POSTPONED A YEAR.

URBAN FARM RATING BILL.

FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

WISH OF LOCAL BODIES.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

In view of the numerous objections received from local bodies, and because the Municipal Association lias given an undertaking that the matter of urban farm lands rating will be fully considered at its next conference, the Urban Farm Lands Rating Bill is not to proceed this session. The Local Bills Committee reported to that effect yesterday and the House of Representatives adopted the report. The Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. P. A. do la Perelle, said there had been a general desire on the part of local bodies, borough councils and town boards that the bill should be circulated, so that it might be thoroughly considered before next session.

Mr. A. Harris (Waitemata) said there was need for the exercise of great caution in passing a measure of this nature, because if some landowners were to be given relief it followed that other ratepayers would have to shoulder the burden. It might happen that people who were holding land for speculative purposes would be relieved of their just burden. Mr. C. E. Macmillan (Tauranga) said that speaking as a member of the Local Bills Committee, there might be a feeling of disappointment in some quarters that the bill was not to proceed this session, but it had to be remembered that every local body represented when the committee took evidence had stressed the importance of allowing the bill to stand over for consideration, because, although there was general agreement on the score of giving relief to some landowners, there was a difference of opinion as to how that relief should be given. Mr. W. H. Field (Otaki) said there could be no question that the intentions of the bill were good, but the bill had not been before the public sufficiently long for a decision to be arrived at on the question whether it provided ample relief. Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (Egmont), chairman of the Local Bills Committee, said urgent representations had been made that the bill should'be considered by the next municipal conference, and for that reason it had been recommended that it should not be allowed to proceed. It had been pointed out that a certain amount of relief might be obtained if lands of a certain class which required relief from rating were revalued by the Valuer-General, subject to the consent of the local body concerned. This, however, could not be done except with the consent of the local body, and in most cases the necessary consent had been withheld.

The committee's report was adopted.