RATEPAYERS AND LOANS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 120, 24 May 1938, Page 6

RATEPAYERS AND LOANS.

Ts it not time that legislation empowering local bodies to borrow without consulting the ratepayers should be rescinded? If that is impossible, then only ratepayers should vote at local body elections. Otherwise in a district with an unduly large floating population the people with 110 permanent stake in the borough <-an elect a council which will proceed to borrow and to spend large sums on unsound projects of which the ratepayers disapprove, but for which they will have to pay for the jrest of their lives. "No taxation without representation'"; but if the ratepayers are alwayout voted by the drifting palliation they have !no representation, though they have to d > the paying. Some districts are more 1111 fort unite thali others j;i this rc-p'ct. This urowinj h.tb t of thrusting uncomfortable burdens, like hospital levies, relief works, h irsing - -hemes. et<\ (all of national, not merely local, importune?), on to the overburdened shoulders ratepayers is really a form of robbery under arms, for jthe helpless ratepayer l:e~ to pay whatever (exorbitant sum is dc- anded or have Irs roof jsold over his head. Even a teinp-rary detail!'. I immediately lead- to di-fram-hisemcnt. while the parasitic rent defaulter is nn.-0"r:r , . , il t 1 ■go and vote how he v.ar.ts tl-e ratemvers I money spent. HATKPAYKK.