The Press. TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 1914. A Devastating Tax.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14980, 9 June 1914, Page 6

The Press. TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 1914. A Devastating Tax.

.We • have moro than once referred. to I the effect of the system of. rating on. unimproved values in destroying the "Garden City ?> aspect of Christchurch. In Wellington, vrijero tjjo supply of land is much moro limited, the effect has been oven more disastrous than in Christchurch. Our correspondent, in a telegram which we published yesterday morning, told us how one by one pretty gardons which onca beautified tho City of Wellington have disappeared under tho devastating influence of the faddist system of rating, fine old trees and trim parterres being sacrificed to ugly brick and mortar or jerrybailt wooden "villas." What is practically the last garden of any sizo or beauty left within tho city area is now about to bo cut up. Visitors to Wellington will remember it with its fine old trees at tho comer of Wellington terrace and Bowen street, almost under the shadow of Parliament House. It was formerly a Ministerial residence, and was for some years occupied by Sir Hbrry Atkinson. Had garden ground been exempted from tho operation of the Act, as under Mr Lloyd George's proposals, possibly this beauty spot might have been preserved to the people of Wellington for some time 3oager. As it is, tho ratt-a on the sections must hare amounted to a very considerable sum, and no one can bo surprisod if tho owner at length found the expenso moro than ho was disposed to bear.

But it is not alono as a destroyer of I beauty— a kind of lupus disfiguring tho face of the fairest city—that this tax is open to objection. It is grossly unfair, as many Christchurch ratepayers have lately discovered. New valuation jioiices are now being sent out, and owners of houses "jrhich have ciated in tqluo since tho last assessment will find their rates increased

under the new valuation. For although the houses are growing older, and their rentals have decreased in many instances by as much as 25 or 30 por cent-, the "unimproved value' , of the land is supposed to have increased, and it is on this fictitious valuo that the unfortunate owner is to bo rated. If

ho is getting with difficulty fifteen shillings a \reek for a cottage for which one pound was freely paid at the time of the last valuation, it is surely grossly unfair to put up the amount, of his rates on tho ground that that very mythical quantity, tho "unimproved '"Taiue,"' has increased. Obviously the fair thing is to make the taxation bear s> duo proportion to the income, but under the faddist scheme as bouses get elder, mid rents less., the rates will bo progressively incronvM until finally, wo suppose, tho j-ingie taxers' dream will bo realised, awl the unfortunate owner will h.-ivo the barren honour of possessing his land without drawin"

troru it a hingie enppor in the shape of revenue. Our Wellington correspondent says that public opinion in the Empire City is beginning to 4 go dead against this unsound system. We believe there is a similar reaction here. It that is so, the ratepayers have the remedy in their own hands. Let them sign the petitions in favour of a fresh poll on tbe subject, which are now being circulated, and when tho poll takes place let them roll U p in strength and vote the iniquitous system out of existence.