Increase In Capital Value Of Heathcote County

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29070, 5 December 1959, Page 15

Increase In Capital Value Of Heathcote County

The rateable capital value of the Heathcote County increased during the year ending March 31 last by £187,230, said the retired chairman (Mr F. W. Freeman) in his report presented at the council's annual meeting last evening.

The rateable capital value of the county now stood at £6.853,345, and the total value with non-rateable properties was now £7,432,455.

Commenting on the increase in capital value, Mr Freeman said the trend of population expansion of the city was towards the outlying county areas, so that building activity in the county had continued at a steady level during the year. Increases in land valuation due to subdivisions were also a , factor contributing to the increased capital value of the county. During the year 143 building permits of a value of £201,300 were issued.

Twenty - two subdivision schemes were approved during the year, creating an additional 87 lots, the most notable being the Takahe subdivision at the top of Hackthorne road. Cashmere, the report said. Higher Cost of Houses An increase of more than £4OO in average costs of dwellings erected in the county during the year, compared with the costs during the 1957-58 year, was shown in the report. Forty-seven permits for dwellings, of a value of £163,737, were issued for the 1958-59 year—an average value of £3484 for each dwelling—compared with 72 permits for dwellings valued at £219,295 in 1957-58—an average of £3045 each.

"Once again this county is faced with the prospect of losing a portion to the neighbouring city of Christchurch, with the presentation of a petition from McCormack’s Bay residents,” said the report. “It is most difficult to comment on this aspect of local govern-

ment where an authority can expend money in an undeveloped area and be left with no prospect of reimbursing its remaining ratepayers for moneys spent,” Mr Freeman said. This problem was under consideration by the Local Government Commission, he said. Rate Maintained The general rate in the county was again id in the £ of rateable capital value, making the third year in succession in which the council has been able to finance its works without raising the general rate, Mr Freeman said.

General rate receipts for the year ended March 31 last were £20,910. compared with £20,149 in 1957-58. The county fund account showed a credit of 7d at November 30.

The county clerk (Mr R. W. Morris) said a surplus at this time of the year was unusual, and could be attributed to the backlog of county works not carried out because of a shortage of staff. Water Supply Extensions Numerous new water connexions had been made during the year on all supplies, said the annual report. The new loan 'for improvement's to the Cashmere water supply would enable the system to cope with the ever-increasing demand for water on Cashmere hills, said the report. These improvements were the most extensive works to the supply since, the installation of the present system. There now remained the problem of an up-to-date and adequate supply for the Hillsborough area, including the Avoca valley and Mount Pleasant, the report said.