URBAN LANDS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 82, 3 October 1929, Page 15

URBAN LANDS

RATING QUESTION

DIFFERENTIAL BASIS

BILL WELCOMED

Almost unanimous approval was expressed iii the House of Representatives last night with the broad principle of the Urban Farm Lands Eating Bill, making provision for relief of occupiers of urban farm lancla. by moans of differential rates levied on a basis of classification. Tho Minister of Internal Affairs (tlie Hou. P., A. a 6 la Porrelle). said' ho thought the Dill would appeal to all sides, of the-House;- There had been a searching investigation of the problem Ijy the Commission which had been set up, and local bodies had given their approval to the aims of the measure, The object was to give relief to farmers who were feeling the pinch of the rates they were -called upon to pay; without that relief some of them would be forced to give up their properties. There was a general demand for tho legislation, and he had been inundated with deputations. Mr. A. Hamilton (Eeform, "Wallace) .regretted that the Minister had not given details of the "measure, as the Bill was one of the best the Houso had had before it this session. He rather thought the Bill was the product of the Eeform Government, and that it had been on tho stocks last year. The effect of the Bill was likely to be far-reaching, as-it was not possible to relieve one section of the ratepayers without increasing the burden on the other section. ■: Tho Minister: "Not to any:extent." TO REMOVE INJUSTICE. Mi\ Hamilton agreed. The object of the Bill was to remedy.an injustice, and he did not think" there would be any opposition to it. The- Bill. opened up two important principles—tho rating powers of local bodies and tho classification of-ratoableaauds. - The main portion of a local body's revenue came trom the rates, and it was desirable that the rating system should be on' as sound a basis.as-possiblo. In the past the rating in local bodios had not been equitable. Ho agreed there should be a of rateable lands inboroughsj for there were many farmers who wove carrying too great a burden in'the matter;of-rates. So high were some of the rates that tho impost amounted almost to Confiscation of the land or the annual value of the land. Mr. D..G. Sullivan (Labour, Avon) said the Bill appeared to bo of doubtful parentage. Apparently it had been drawn up by the past Government and introduced by the present Government, while a prominent member of the Labour Party had been a member of the Commission. He regretted that the local bodies had not had a fuller opportunity of considering the Bill, which \ was very far-reafihjng in its consequences. It was obvious: that the Bill would affect the finances of boroughs, and for that reason it should receive further consideration. He hoped the' Minister would not bo too hasty in putting the Bill through its 'final stages. In expressing his view that it would be best to refer the Bill to a Select Committee, the Prime Minister (the Eight Hon. Sir Joseph Ward) s;iid ho thought it desirable -that evidence should bo taken, especially as it involved .1 question of. finance. . Tho Leader of tho Opposition (tho Eight Hon. J. G. Coates) objected to such procedure 'at that stage. All tho local bodies had had copies of the measure, which had been asked for was urgently required, ana affected hundreds of farmers. He objected to it being side-stepped. Mr. Perrolle: "It has not been sent to local bodies except by some members." •■-... LIMIT ON LOCAL KATES. 3tr. W.D. Lysnar (Indoponaeut Eeform, Gisborno) thought tho Bill a desirablo and vory necessary one. It should be possible to fix a limit on local rates, and he suggestod that to tho Ministor. This, ho declared, would stop confiscation. ] Tho Leador of the Labour Party (Mr. H. E. Holland) said ho strongly supported tho foundation principlo of tho Bill, which ho thought commanded tho sympathy of the Houso. Ho endorsed the idea of sondiug tho mcasuro to a committee. Mr. H. G. Dickie (Eeform, Patea) who also welcomed tho meaauro, urged tho fixing of tho rating basis for lands accordiug to classification, as was done in the Otaki Borough Farm Lands Eating Bill. Differential rating had boen adopted previously in respect to showgrounds, etc., so that no new priuciplo was involved. Mr J. M'Combs (Labour, Lyttolton) said the tact.that nearly every speakor advocatod amendments scorned to be sufficient justification for the • measure being referred to a committee. The Bill required a great deal of consideration, particularly in respect to the retrospective provision. ,Ho hoped tho Bill would be in improved form when it came from the committee. It would disorganise utterly the present borough financing system.' Mr. W. J. Poison (Independent, Strattord) said ho thought the local bodies had given tho Bill vory full consideration, and had mado up their minds 3' ll;' Ho expressod surpriso at Mr. M Combs's remarks, as the Bill conformed' with the recommendations of the Commission which had reported ou tho subject, and which had been signed by a member of the Labour Party. He did not see the necessity for reforrins the Bill to a committee. Mr. J. A. Young (Eeform, Hamilton) suggested a conference between urban and rural authorities with a view to the determination of a better system of finance. Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (Eeform, Eicearton) said tho relief proposed by the Bill was long overdue. The Minister had reforrod to small farmers who were threatened with being taxed out of existence. He hoped the Minister would bear that in mind in connection with the Taxation BUI that was before the House. A better system of classification was desired than that set out m the Bill. There was a need for a more uniform system of rating throughout tho Dominion. i M\^, T" Armßtr°ng (Labour, Christ-elrureh-East) said he had listened caretully to Mr. Kyle's speech, but he COw, Do£ tOT the litß °* h™ say whether Ui Kyle supported or opposed f \ BIIV 9e favo«ea the Bill going to the Local Bills Committee because there were so many interests affected. Hn scarcely thought it necessary to put through a Bill which would so seriously curtail the powers of the local bodies. It would be preferable to pass s simple measure allowing the local bodies to exempt certain lands from ratine if they wished to do so Mr. A. W. Hall (Eeform, Hauraki) maintained that it was the duty of the House to decide the question, and not the local bodies. The Bill was a eood one. ° , After further lengthy debate, the Bill was read a second time, and referred to the Local Bilk. Committee for consideration.

xv I Vr°U\ nS\on City and Suburban .Water Supply Amendment Bill was reported to the House of Representatives yesterday by the Local Bills Committee "without amendment*