RATING PROBLEM

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LX, Issue 11045, 20 February 1933, Page 3

RATING PROBLEM

FARM LANDS IN BOROUGHS. “This is going to be a thorny problem” remarked the Mayor of Otahuhu, Mr.H. T. Clements, at a meeting of the Otahuhu Borough Council this week, when consideration was given to a report on the procedure to be followed in preparing a farm land list under the Urban Land Rating Act, 1932. The town clerk, Mr R. W. F. Wood, reported that the council would have to determine with respect to every property Included in the list of all areas of not less than three acres, whether or not the rating value should be reduced for the purposes of ' the Act. It would he necessary to take into consideration whether the rates payable by the occupier were excessive or unduly burdensome, the municipal services available to the property, the incidence of general, special and separate rates in the borough, and of rates levied by or on behalf of rating authorities other than the council, whether any reduction would be likely to impose an undue burden of rates on other ratepayers and any alteration of rateable value since the valuation roll came into force. The town clerk said it had specially to be noted that any piece of urban land containing less than three acres might be included in the list on application of the occupier, and should the council, so determine. Appeals from the list adopted by the council could be received from the occupiers of urban land or from any other ratepayer.

A list containing 52 properties was submitted and it was decided to call a special meeting of the council to finalise it.