WELLINGTON RATING

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 107, 2 November 1926, Page 5

WELLINGTON RATING

A PROPOSED POLL

By invitation of the Berhampore Progressive Association, Mr. P. J. O'Regan spoke last evening in the Public School, Berhampore, in connection with the proposed poll to extend the system oE rating on unimproved values. Mr. R. T. Bailey presided. After outlining the history of the legisJation On the subject, Mr: O'Regan explained that a poll was necessary if the system wo to be extended to all rates, but before a poll could be obtained, 15 per cent, of the ratepayers must sign a requisition to the Mayor. In co-operation with several others, he had been working for some time past in obtaining signatures, and was now able to state that 2200 had been obtained. It was quite certain, therefore, that very shortly the full quota of signatures would be available, after which a poll could be had as a matter of course. The rateable value of the city according to the latest available returns was:— Value of improvements, £17,873,531; unimproved value, £15,173,499; total or capital value, £33,047,030. The total rate revenue of the city last year was £355,942, of which £248,561 (the general rate £166,518, the consolidated special rate £77,127, and the library, rate £4916) was derived from the unimproved value, while £107,351 (the water rate £66,----544, the hospital and charitable aid rate £31,640, and the lighting rate £9197) was derived from the annual value. From the ratepayers' point of view, there was no difference between the annual value and the capital value in that both were equally a tax on improvements, and all taxes on improvements, the Wellington City Council to the contrary notwithstanding, were not merely useless, but mischievous, and ought to be abolished. He was quite satisfied that the vast majority of ratepayers were of the tame opinion, nnd that they would obtain the greatest victory for rational ta: 'ion yet achieved in New Zea.Jand. The very best answer available to the misrepresentations of their opponents would be that, after a partial application of a system for twenty-five years, the ratepayers of the Empire City had decided to place the whole of the rates on the unimproved value. The vast majority of the ratepayers were improvers, and, generally speaking, the result of the change would be that all improvers would pay less, while

non-improvers would find their rates increased. The proof of that proposition would readily appear when they bcre in mind that the amount of revenue raised under the new system would be exactly the same as before, but that unimproved sections would have their rates increased, whence it followed that all improvers would be relieved. Adding together the three rates now levied on the unimproved value, it would be found that they amounted to 4d in the £■ If the poll was successful, the rate on the unimproved value would be increased by 1.7 din the £^ and hence, any ratepayer could readily ascertain how he would be affected by estimating the amount in pounds, shillings, and pence on a rate of 5.7 don the unimproved value. While the prospect of reducing rates doubtless made the strongest appeal to the average ratepayer, the social effect of additional taxation on, the unimproved value was really of much greater importance. It wafi safe to say that nothing would confer more lasting benefit on the community than the discouragement given to mere trafficking in land, such as an increased tax of 1.7 din the £ on the unimproved value of the city area would mean. The tendency must be to bring unused land into use, to encourage the building trade, which was not the least important of our local industries, and to afford increased facilities for the realisation of the aspiration which every man had to provide a home for himself. A hearty vote of thanks to the speaker, was passed by acclamation on the motion of Dr. Beaumont, seconded by Mr. Georgeson.