RATES IN FENDALTON

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25554, 23 July 1948, Page 10

RATES IN FENDALTON

“Am I correct that Fendalton ratepayers within the Waimairi county are going to pay more for a high-pressure water supply, the only city amenity they have not got, by coming into the city?” asked Mr E. B. E. Taylor (for the Waimairi County Council), when cross-ex-amining Mr Niven. Mr Niven: I don’t know without going into the figures. They will pay a substantial portion of £10,500 a year in perpetuity in addition to what they pay now, will they not?— Yes. subject to a reduction in rates. To Mr G. W. Dell (for rhe Riccarton branch of the Labour Party). Mr Niven said the Christchurch City Council had to collect rates on four different systems. Mr Dell: Do you think other local bodies should be bound to adopt the system of rating which city ratepayers can decide by poll they want?—lt would be a general expression of opinion by ratepayers. Well, that is what we are going to ask the commission to recommend, and I would like your opinion.—l could not

say. Mr Niven told Mr Dell that there would be only a slight saving in work if one system were adopted by all local bodies for which ih6 City collected rates. Cross-examined by Mr Stephens on the City Council’s method of checking finances a n d the possibility of defalcations, Mr Niven said he considered there was a closer check in big institutions such as the City Council than there was in smaller ones. Mr Stephens: Could there be a carry-

ing over of rates for say six months?— No. Ir. reply to further questions by Mr Stephens, Mr Niven said it would not be possible for two employees of the Christchurch City Council to combine to make defalcations. Under the system used in Christchurch four employees would have to combine. Mr Niven said the council had considered the fact that it would not get subsidies on the main and State highways in the county areas it proposed to add to the city, but had estimated that it would receive an additional £7OOO or £80t)0 from petrol tax. Re-examined by Mr W. R. Lascelles (for the City Council), the witness said that the 'complete cost of cutting back the cliff at Sumner was £5645. Two previous witnesses had given different figures—£4ooo and £6ooo—and he considered that the first figure was the cost of the actual work on the cliff, and that the second was for the whole scheme, including new roading. He would not be surprised to know that nearly every main local body collected rates on three different systems, said Mr Niven to Mr J. W. Andrews, a commissioner. The only one Christchurch had, which .was different, was the one on which fire protection costs were collected on the annual value of buildings. Mr Stephens said that executive officers of the territorial local bodies appearing before the commission had met on Wednesday evening, but had found it impossible to arrive at a basis of administrative costs, which was sought by Mr Taylor so that a comparison could be made.