DIFFERENT RATING BASES

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25546, 14 July 1948, Page 6

DIFFERENT RATING BASES

The City Council would continue its policy of combining its own liability with the loan indebtedness of any areas amalgamated with the city, said Cr. Tait.

There was a variation in the basis of rating between the areas affected, and under the present legislation any areas joined to the city would be valued on unimproved value for general and special rates. The council realised, however, that there was a strong desire in some sections that the system of rating should be reviewed by the ratepayers, and had asked the Government to dispense with the need for a petition to be presented before a poll could be taken. The Government had approved the representations, and as soon as amending legislation was passed the council would conduct a poll so that electors could choose their own system of rating. Divided control hampered the development of a city, said Cr. Tait, and the City Council submitted that the retention of the present system of control would hold up the future economic and physical planning of Christchurch. Major works were frequently beyond the financial resources of a small local body. The Riccarton Borough Council had raised a loan to buy a roadroller and a lorry, and a loan was raised by the Waimairi County Council for the laying-out of a park, but the city could point to such items as waterworks extensions costing more than £20,000, the purchase of land for street widening at £7OOO. the construction of new streets at £14.500, £5OOO for a new bridge, and £20.000 for the purchase of plant, appearing on the estimates for expenditure from rates. Soon after the amalgamation of Sumner borough the City Council cut back a high cliff corner at the entrance

to Sumner, work which had been contemplated by the borough council for some years but not done because of lack of finance. The cost, £6OOO, was approximately the total revenue of the borough council for one year. There was no criticism of the staff of other local bodies, but there was criticism of the system of administration, continued Cr. Tait. The City Council had financial, technical, and mechanical resources not available to smaller local bodies, and a qualified professional staff would be available to the new areas. The council would continue its policy of providing adequate employment for the displaced staff of other local authorities. “The residents of Heathcote, Fendalton, and Waimairi are essentially citizens of of Christchurch and speak of themselves as such,” he said. “They participate in the benefits while escaping the burdens.” Valuation of Area Financial details of the proposed change-over would be submitted later by executive officers of the council, Cr. Tait said. The city had not been revalued since 1937, while some of the districts affected were revalued as late as last year. There was a likelihood that if the proposed change was made the "whole of the area would be revalued. Much of the land would be entitled to a reduced valuation under the Urban Farmlands Act. and the council’s policy was to fix farmland values at a figure which would produce rates approximately the same as those which would have been paid if the property had remained in a county. The effect of considerable building in certain county areas, particularly Halswell, was not apparent in valuations available when his evidence was prepared. •