"DERATE FARMLANDS,"

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 17, 21 January 1931, Page 3

"DERATE FARMLANDS,"

NORTH AUCKLAND DEMAND.

BURDEN OF ROAD REPAIRS,

"SOFT THING FOR JOY-RIDER."

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WHANGAREI, Tuesday.

The Whangarei Farmers' Union is arranging meetings to discuss derating throughout North Auckland. The most important meeting yet held was that at Otonga yesterday.

The chairman of the Whangarei County Council, Mr. L. Webb, was closely questioned about his attitude toward the proposal. He said he favoured derating to the extent of one-half. He considered the ratepayer had a certain amount of responsibility for the roading system, and he thought it useless to seek total derating. Some of the arguments brought forward by the Farmers' Union were as extreme on the side of the landholder as Labour's arguments were on the side of the worker.

Mr. R. McKenzie moved that the Whangarei; County Council be asked to support the derating of agricultural lands, and, in order to give immediate relief to farmers, that it be asked to reduce the rates by 35 per cent.

Mr. Webb said it would be impossible to change the rates for the current year. If the reduction named was made the council could not carry on, as funds remaining would not suffice to maintain roads constructed out of grants, and highways which the council had guaranteed to keep in good repair. No substantial drop could be made in rating until alternative means of raising revenue were provided.

Several at the meeting voiced opinions in favour of the user of the roads paying, and one said it would pay him to pay a petrol tax of 1/7 instead of paying rates, and another said it cost him £2 in rates every time he took his car out.

Mr. W. Hay: "We are making a soft thing for the joy-rider. I live on one of the new scenic roads, where the Government hac, wasted thousands. When I see streams of motor cars passing on Sunday I think 'there is another pound of my rates gone.' I see the Hon. M. Murdoch said, 'I like to pay my own rates.' That shows no sympathy with the man struggling along on the farm, but it is the spirit that pervades the present Parliament." After a long discussion the motion was carried and a deputation was appointed to wait on the County Council.

A well-attended meeting at Rua tangata last night passed similar reso lutions.