RATE EXEMPTIONS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 252, 21 July 1934, Page 8

RATE EXEMPTIONS

Hutt County Alterations

DRAFT BILL PREPARED

Approval was given by the Hutt County Council yesterday to a draft Bill for nrbposed alterations to rate exemptions. The draft Bill will now be placed before Parliament.

' The Bill 'states that the County of Hutt, by reason of its propinquity to Wellington find its suburbs, suffers to an extraordinary extent from rating exemptions' in respect of schools, waterworks, other reserves, and recreation. areas . owned by other local authorities. By reason of such rating exemptions, the ratepayers of the county have Imposed upon them an anfair burden which it is expedient to remove.’" -

The draft Bill proposes that notwithstanding anything contained in any other Act. no rating exemption shall apply to any land within the Hutt County, except land vested in his Majesty the King, and buildings used exclusively for divine worship and sites thereof. For rating purposes within the Hutt County all rateable lands, and all Interests therein, shall ■be valued Irrespective of any restrictions on their ,use. and ‘ for rating purposes section 52 of the Valuation of Land Act. 1925. shall not apply. The Valuer-General shall from time to time make such amendments to the valuation roll supplied to the Hutt County Council for rating purposes as may be necessary to give effect to the Act. The chairman. Mr. D. R. Hoggard, said that there were 280.600 acres in the county, and more than 100.000 acres were exempt from rates--about 40 per cent. Part, of the land which was classed as rateable was virtually exemnt because the Vainer-General had the newer fount nominal values on the land.