RISE IN RATES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 117, 20 May 1938, Page 11

RISE IN RATES.

INCREASE OF 2}D IN £. EFFECT OF HOSPITAL LEVY. DRAINAGE BOARD HIGHER. A provisional compilation of the City Council's estimates for 1935-39 has been completed, and the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, announced last evening that he wae now giving attention, with departmental heads, to the collation of the results. It was likely that there would be an increase of 2Jd in the f. "The final figures will be designed to ensure a balanced budget in the rating accounts proper and will not, I anticipate, involve an increase in the rates in the accounts over which the council has direct control," stated Sir Ernest. "However, unless there is an alteration in the increased hospital levy resulting from the representations I shall make to the council in this regard, it would appear that an increase of 2Jd in the £ in the hospital rate will be inescapable. "In addition an increase of Jd in the £ to cover the levy imposed by the Drainage Board apparently will be inevitable as a result of the new assessment.,. Sir Ernest said it would be hie aim, naturally, to do all that lay within his power to.secure some relief from the Hoepital Board impost, but the indications were that there would be an increase in the rates of 2Jd in the £. The Mayor added that by the end of next week he expected to complete the revision of the estimates and then to refer the relevant sections to the committees concerned, with a view to having the completed estimates ready for submission to the council on June 9.