SLOW PAYMENT OF RATES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28805, 28 January 1959, Page 10

SLOW PAYMENT OF RATES

Figures Down This Year

Ratepayers are falling behind in their payments this year. Most councils, with five weeks to go before the penalty date, have only between a quarter and a third of the levy in hand. Some local bodies are becoming a little concerned at the delay, but the Christchurch City treasurer (Mr L. A. G. Rich) said: “It’s the last five days that count.”

The city’s gross levy (which includes rates collected for other local bodies) was £1,539,415 this year, and of this £426,171, or 27.7 per cent., has been collected so far. Last year, on a levy of £1,311,177, the percentage collected- at this time was 29.4 per cent.

In Waimairi county, 33.9 per cent, of the £203,878 levied has been collected. Although this is a higher proportion than that In hand in the city, it is well below last year’s figure in Waimairi of 41.9 per cent., and the 42.3 per cent, collected at this time the previous year. 1956-57. Riccarton

Of the Riccarton Borough Council’s levy of £71,660, £26,279, or 36.6 per cenL, is in hand. Last year at this time 39.6 per cent, had been collected. The collection rate is low in both Heathcote and Halswell, two of the smaller local authorities fringing Christchurch. In_..the<. Heathcote county. per cent ” of the £53,268 levied has been collected 80 fan last year the figure was

28.3 per cent, and the previous year, 32 per cent.

The collection in Halswell is 26.9 per cent, complete, with £4125 of the £15,359 levied already in hand. In earlier years it was 30.6 per cent, and 28 per cent, completed at this stage. Figures for the Lyttelton Borough Council and the Paparua County Council were not available yesterday.