NEW LYTTELTON VALUATIONS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26985, 10 March 1953, Page 8

NEW LYTTELTON VALUATIONS

COUNCIL ADVISED NOT TO OBJECT LETTER FROM BOROUGH SOLICITORS The Lyttelto’n Borough Council has been advised by its soHcitors to abandon its decision to object to the new borough valuations. This advice was put before the council at its meeting last evening. The council deferred consideration of the letter until its next meeting. The letter reviewed 65 sales of property in the borough last year, and said that most of these showed sales at a price fully in accord with the new valuations. The writer had interviewed the district valuer of the Valuation Department, and had obtained reports from the town clerks of. Ashburton, Rangiora, and Kaiapoi, all of which had been recently revalued. The list of Lyttelton sales included 24 in which 5 per cent, of the sale price showe’d a figure in excess of the valuations of the borough valuer. Other boroughs reported estimated over-all increases in rating values as follows:—Ashburton, 150 per cent.; Rahgiora, 102.63 per cent.; Kaiapoi, 84.7 per cent. The letter concluded: “We would suggest that the council should now decide not to prosecute its general objection, and that the Assessment Court be advised accordingly. The Court might also be advised that the council does not wish to offer evidence in respect to individual objections, but leaves it to the Court.” Cr. Morris moved that the council hold-over any decision on the letter until the next meeting. The motion was seconded by Cr. L. Shuker and carried.

WITHDRAWAL OF COUNCILLOR

Resignation Offered DEBATE ON LETTER FROM TOWN CLERK

A debate by the Lyttelton Borough •Council last evening on the letter from the Town Clerk (Mr J. Thompson), in which he asked to be relieved of the duty of sitting on the committee set up to support the council’s objections to the borough valuations, led to the withdrawal from the meeting of Cr. T. B. Hempstalk. Cr. Hempstalk refused to withdraw a remark when instructed to do so by the Mayor (Mr F. G. Briggs) and was ordered to withdraw from the council chamber. In withdrawing, Cr. Hempstalk announced his intention of resigning from the council.

When the cduncil began' its consideration of the Town Clerk’s letter, received at a meeting a month ago, Cr. A. M.,Miller asked why Mr Thompson did not circulate his letter before that meeting. He thought an explanation was due to the Mayor. Mr Thompson, explaining the statement in his letter that the council,.in objecting to the valuation, would increase the rates payable by the domestic ratepayer and benefit the big shipping and oil companies, said that, on the new valuations, if the council levied the same rates as last year, domestic ratepayers would pay less and the big ratepayers would pay substantially more. The council had last year increased the water rate, which mainly affected the domestic ratepayer. The of revaluing was to swing this levy on the water rate back on to the general rate, so that all should pay in proportion. Details of Increases An analysis Of the new valuations showed that, while the average increase for domestic ratepayers was 47 per cent., individual increases on the big properties showed 96, 195, 81 89, 110, 123, and 122 per cent. Mr Thompson said that, if the present rates were computed on the new valuations, various councillors, whom he named, would pay from £4 to 18s less than last year. , Thompson knew all thig, he should have told us when we were discussing our intention to make an objection,” said Cr. W. Morris. Mr Thompson: I tried to tell you. and I was rudely shut up. Cr. Morris said that Mr Thompson was not shut up, but was tolu not to interrupt while Cr. Shuker had the floor. Mr Thompson said that if councillors had come to him tor talk it over he would have told them. Cr. Hempstalk complained that he had found it difficult to get information from the Town Clerk, so much so that he had desisted from calling upon him. The Town Clerk had ignored him in his position as chairman of the works committee. The Mayor: That was only on one occasion, by an oversight. Mr Thompson explained that here at the following meeting to the satisfaction of the council. Cr. Hempstalk: It was not to our satisfaction, not to mine. The Mayor: I would say that it was satisfactorily explained, and I am talking the truth. Cr. Hempstalk: I say it is not the The Mayor: I must ask you to withdraw that remark, Cr. Hempstalk, or else leave the council chambers. Cr. Hempstalk: I will not withdraw it. You can have my resignation and I will leave the council chamber. The Mayor said he could not take any resignation then. Cr. Hempstalk: Then I will leave; and you will get my resignation tomorrow. Cr. Hempstalk then left the council chambers. The Mayor said it was unfortunate that the council had not been informed that the increase in the valuation would be so large. His only complaint against the Town Clerk was in not submitting the letter to him before the meeting. He had at other times found Mr Thompson to be most courteous and at all times ready to discuss council affairs with councillors when they called upon him. “The matter has now been put before us in a different light,” said the Mayor.

A motion by Cr. Morris that in future the Town Clerk put all such matters before the council in the form of a report was carried.