URBAN FARM LAND

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 61, 9 September 1941, Page 9

URBAN FARM LAND

KEEPING A PROMISE

LOWER HUTT EXTENSION

During the sitting of the Commis--si on on the question of extending the then borough of Lower Hutt the Mayor, Mr. J. W. Andrews, made a promise to market gardeners and farmers in the new area that the rates on lands used by them for farming or market gardening would not exceed the amount they were then paying to the Hutt County Council, with the proviso that full rates should be paid on sections of, say, J-acre area, on which dwellings stood.

In order that ; this promise should be redeemed the Mayor, accompanied by the Town Planning Officer, Mr. R. Hill, and the Assistant Town Clerk, Mr. Richardson, made a careful survey of the district with a view to bringing areas under the provisions of the Urban Farms Rating Act. Each property was visited arid dealt with as a separate, problem. The result was before" the Lower Hutt City Council last evening, when the Mayor moved that 82 properties in the new area be added to the urban, farms roll.

Each ratepayer affected will receive full particulars of how he will be ■rated under the new conditions, and will be allowed fourteen days to object.

Ratepayers whose names do • not appear on the list may appeal to have their names included.

The Mayor naid that the . committee had endeavoured lo deal justly with every case, erring if anything on the side of leniency. Under the new provisions ■ the 82 .ratepayers will pay £1110 12s 4d (inclusive of dwelling sites), against £866 10s 3d formerly payable to the County Council. The amount which would have been payable had the properties not been brought under the Urban Farms Rating Act was £3090 12s lid.

Councillors F. S. Hewer and F. Campbell congratulated the committee on having done an excellent job.