UNPAID RATES

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 98, 28 April 1931, Page 11

UNPAID RATES

STATE ADVANCES HOUSES

LEGISLATION NEEDED

Concern was ..exprossed-last ..evening by several Lower Hutt Borough Councillors at the .possibility of .the Cwwn liaving to resume possession of some properties, .over which it holds niort- ■ gages. -... .. '.-■ '■; ~'-,;.; ..,;,..>..,^ ..The Mayor,. Sir- A. F. Eoberts, said that until the ..position was. rcniediea by legislation local .bodies? were in a,most .difficult position] in that they had no idea how inueh rates'-'they niight have ' to write off if .tho Crown-took- possession of properties-on., which .interest:on Government loans was ; not paid. As the law stood'the rates on" such.properties ■ were gone for good. ' : ; ' .': :) Councillor Patrick,(pointed/.out..that ■'■ the. outstanding, rates, were-.very:, high ' this .year, the : Town-Clerk havings re-; 1 por.ted: the. amount as pver-.£7,000, r as, • against £3500/ last y^W. i:-^ :: _iV ,•-;•<• ■ "■• The: Mayor said..that:.with.-the.-excep-tion-of .the rates on--property,:; which 1 the Government-..had- taken over,- the, whole of the-.outstanding rates were 1 recoverable. ;v. ■; '.-^ ' ,'• '■'.■':■■' ■,■'"•■::'-' i A CHARGE ON PROtBRTY. - ; i The question of ..unpaid .rates wa;s re- • ferred to-, at a meeting, addressed by. ■ Mr. M. E. Xiuckie' at;LyalV:.Bay;last i nigiit. ■ ' .-.-■■ ':' ;■''■•",! ;■■':•■■."'• '^-■.l- ; - •■■ : . "How long, .may a .man owe ratos"to. • tlie City' Council?"\askcd, one. of, the • audience. . •■. v -, .': ... , .

■"' • You should know,''['. retorted ;-.:''Mrv Liickie. ','How Jong have' you'been able to avoid paying them?'' :,'■:■; : Tho questioner ; said that- ;his • diffi: eulty was that no rates had been paid, since 1926.: The -City Council ?,had, simply got. a■; judgment- against am. an who ignored it, and, did;not pay,•.,;■; ; :,; -Mr.. Luekie::. "When you :havp.-.' A judgment • you; (\v>U .find.,it;.is a ; charge on.: the property.?.':.. ■;.•:•-..;. .-x-V - ':V:t: ■; v The questioner .(ruefully,):'.:,' '&??};.s:. found thatvout.-f'.:; ; ■■.■.;:. V ;; "-■:.■ •■.:i,:i-; r::^-

"Vps, it is arnasty habit the City Solicitor has, J>. remarked Mr. Luckie. "-We have not lost any money after we have had a judgment on a property." The questioner said it did not -seem fair that the penalty of 10 per cent, should bo imposed only once in ,fi-7e years, though the rates remained , unpaid.