JUSTICE FOR PROPERTY OWNERS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 203, 25 May 1944, Page 6

JUSTICE FOR PROPERTY OWNERS

“The first consideration in the work of a member of a public body should be to see that justice is done to all sections of the community,” said Mr. J. D. Seivwright, at a recent meeting, when discussing a proposal to impose on property owners an unfair share in the cost o. street widening improvements designed to benefit the city as a whole. That, lie submitted, had been his policy as a member of the city council, and his record would show that his policy on more than one occasion had been translated into practical action to the general . benefit. Apart from what he had achieved in the matter of exposing the injustice of double taxation on property, owners in the matter of hospital rating he had secured the passing of a motion by the city council of far-reaching concern. It read as follows: “That the town clerk be instructed to write a letter to the Internal Affairs Department stating that the city council of Wellington does not now wish further steps to be taken by the department to give effect to any alteration in the legal practice of . taking ratepayers’ properly for street widening other than under the Public Works Act. The effect of this motion was to publicize the disapproval of the city council to a proposed course of action in connexion with the cost of street widening which would have done serious injustice to property owners.