RATE ARREARS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 225, 22 September 1932, Page 10

RATE ARREARS.

RELIEF WORKERS' REQUEST ONE TREE HILL BOROUGH. COUNCIL SEES DIFFICULTIES. "I hold the opinion that the proposal that relief workers should be allowed to work in the borough instead of paying rates is financially unsound. It would be unsafe for the council to adopt such a proposal in a large way," said Mr. I. J. Goldstine, Mayor of One Tree Hill, at a meeting of the local Borough Council last evening. A petition had been received from a number of relief workers asking the council to find temporary work to occupy their off days, and to set the amount thus earned against overdue rates. The relief workers stated that it was impossible to pay rates out of the sustenance at present received, that their families would be placed in an unjust position if they had to attempt to overtake rate arrears, that they might lose everything, after years of sacrifice, and that the other local bodies were finding it convenient to meet their ratepayers in the manner suggested. "The request opens up a somewhat difficult problem, which is further complicated by the fact that a number of ratepayers; not actually on relief works, but who are working short time, are in a similar position," commented the town clerk, Mr. A. Leese in reporting on the proposal. There were at the present time, said Mr. Leese, 51 relief workers on whose properties rates were due, the total amount concerned, including arrears, being £555. He was unable to estimate the amount of short-time workers' rates, but the total probably •ran into hundreds. Obviously such a large sum could not ibe found. - this year, but, bearing in mind the difficulty of obtaining payment of rates from relief workers and others on short time, the council might deem it advisable to give such assistance as was within its means. Mr. Leese suggested that decision be deferred until after the half-yearly balance. At the present time, said Mr. Goldstine, the council was doing work .that it would not otherwise be doing if it did not require to find jobs for relief workers. Work that was not necessary was a direct loss. The council might just as well write off the rate arrears as make extra work as proposed. The council had budgeted for a certain amount and could not do -anything that was equivalent to writing off a portion of rates. "However, we arc justified in giving the matter some consideration," said Mr. Goldstine, in moving that consideration of the petition bo deferred until after the half-yearly balance. Tho motion was carried.