RATING ANOMALY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 220, 17 September 1930, Page 3

RATING ANOMALY.

AMENDMENT SOUGHT. NORTHCOTE CASE SUPPORTED. The Northeote Borough Council has been informed by the Municipal Association that an urgent request has been made to the Government to introducean amendment to section 69 of the Rating Act, so that the Act shall not apply to areas rated under the unimproved value* The association proposed that the borough seek at the same, time .support)' from the local member of Parliament, Mr. A. Harris. The following local bodies wrote expressing- approval of Northcote's agitation:—Devonport, Rotorua, One Tree Hill, Otahuhu, Birkenhead, St. Kilda (Dunedin). Ellerslie and Papatoetoe. "Evidently we have plenty of support," remarked the Mayor, Mr. A. E. Greenslade. "All it wants now is the proper lead, which I take it we have in the Municipal Association of New Zealand." The council, in a letter to. the associa-; tion, said' it Was particularly anxious that, if possible, such legislation should be retrospective, for many town clerks had advised ratepayers that they had no claim for remission of half rates. It was feared that this might be held by a Court to be sufficient reason for reopening such cases. In such an eventuality local bodies might be seriously affected, because no provision had been made for refunds. If such, payments were made, overdraft limits might be affected and nobody was sure- then whether tho matter might stop. " TJia council trusted, therefore, that such legislation would be retrospective to the extent of preventing claims for bacld periods. . , - „ .:■••': :^e^.^