Councils still busy on rates

Press, Issue 32535, 19 February 1971, Page 10

Councils still busy on rates

The Christchurch City Council’s rate department was still busy yesterday, although 94.8 per cent ($6,225,158) of the levy had been paid and counted by 9 p.m. on Wednesday, the last date for payment without penalty.

An official said it was expected that more than 96 per cent of the total demand would be paid without imposition of the 10 per cent penalty.

Last year 96.6 per cent of the levy was received in time. Late on Wednesday evening 92.6 per cent of the Wairnairi County Council’s rates had been received. This was about 2 per cent more than the total at the same time last year, and an official estimated that 94 per cent of the total levy of $1,710,203 would be paid without penalty. This would be 2 per cent to 3 per cent better than last year. The Paparua and Heathcote county councils and the Riccarton Borough Council had not finished dealing with heavy rates mail yesterday, but all were satisfied with payments. In Paparua $776,492, or

95.75 per cent of the levy, had been received by noon, and in Riccarton the progress total was $244,398, or 96.18 per cent. Heathcote, late yesterday afternoon, had received $298,667, or 95 per cent.

Most of Lyttelton’s rates had been paid by yesterday afternoon. Of the $122,178 due only $4OOO, or 3.7 per cent was outstanding.