CITY RATES

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20977, 4 October 1933, Page 16

CITY RATES

RECOVERY OF ARREARS*.','■■ LIABILITY REDUCED IN i - CASES " "'.'l References to the drastic action con. 11 templated by the Christchurch city II Council to recover rates in arrears for § I lour years, or more, have resultedria IS a number of mortgagors and niort* j 1 gagees paying sums in reduction oj ! 1 their liabilities to the city rate col-, 1 lector, Mr J. K. Macdonald. 1 Mr Macdonald told a reporter yes. Si terday that it was anticipated that the 1 majority of persons concerned wouii I make an effort to pay something qjL/ the arrears rather than lose their prof' 1 : I perties, but in a number of cases there 1 was every likelihood that sales wouia i be made. It was about 12 years since 1 the City Council found it necessary to 1 put up a property for sale to meet 1 arrears of rates, but on several occa. f| sions the arrears were not paid until 1 the eve of the sale. - . j Costs Added. I When action was taken under the i act for the recovery of rates there was § added to the original amount owing I 10 per cent, per annum from the date 1 of judgment, plus court costs and legal fj expenses. A property put up to auc- I tion could be sold for the amount of I the rates owing and accrued costs, but 1| the general procedure was to put a f fair value on the property and that 5 value became the reserve. Mast of | the properties that were likely to be i sold were old and dilapidated, but a I few of those on which rates for inore §1 than four years were still owing were I! fine modern dwellings. It was hardly fS likely that the mortgagees would be J prepared to sacrifice their interest i& si these properties. |