URBAN FARM LANDS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 297, 12 September 1934, Page 6

URBAN FARM LANDS

Legislation Criticised

Strong criticism of the Urban Farm Lands Rating Act was voiced by the Mayor of Lower Hutt, Mr. -L W. Andrews, at the borough council meeting this week, when the finance'committee reported Hiat a reduction in every case for the applicants was given by the Assessment Court. The total reduction Hi tlie values was £7925, and the amount of rates lost for the current year was £322/12/6. The legislation, sail! Mr. Andrews, Wits wrong in principle. It gave teller to one sectioil a' the expense of the remainder of the ratepayers. The business man had no redress at all for his rates, arid relief workers on a mere pittance of wages ainjoilier sorely: pressed ratepayers were to be asked to boar the extra burden imposed by l the granting of special relief to tlie farming classes.. In thd main it had been found that the people ivlio had asked fo. relief from the court were those who were able to pay their rates quite early’. In one ease one of the landowners had held his land definitely for subdivision, and since the sitting of tlie court the only application for subdivision received by the council came from that owner, who had been given a reduction, ' '

Tlie committee reported further flirtt as the court’s condition implied Ihtit11k,council might be called upon to refund rates al.egedly overpaid for tile 1933 year, the Audit Department’s oplri. io; was sought, and tlie reply was ‘‘that the council should refrain from refunding the rates in question.”