OLD PEOPLE’S RATES

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29931, 19 September 1962, Page 6

OLD PEOPLE’S RATES

Mr Kirk Welcomes

Suggestion

“A suggestion that rate bills which pose difficulties for older people will be discussed during the forthcoming local body election campaign is most welcome," Mr N. E. Kirk, M.P., said on Monday. “It is a problem that calls for a solution. Increasing valuations and the considerable growth in local body expenditures have combined to make rates a real headache for lots of old folk in the community. "Each year the number of persons so affected increases and the enormous increase in the number of home owners since 1958 suggests that more and more persons will in the course of time be faced with this problem unless something is done "The question of remedying this problem is one to which I have been giving a lot of thought. For some time I have been gathering materia! and information on which a private member's bill could be based. This measure would aim at introducing a scheme which would enable persons in return for a small weekly payment to live completely rate-free in retirement ‘The funds so assembled would be exclusively available to local bodies." Mr Kirk said. “Not only would this scheme provide the means of obviating a very real difficulty at present troubling a lot of people, but it would also open up a new source of finance for important local body capital projects “Knowing the real need for something to be done about this problem and being anxious to do anything I can to assist ratepayers. I shall be watching the promised discussions with real interest in the hope that some valuable information will emerge," Mr Kirk said.