FARM LAND RATINGS

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 October 1928, Page 5

FARM LAND RATINGS

LEGISLATION POSTPONED

(Special to “Star.")

WELLINGTON, Oct. 8. Owing to the lateness of the session, !- it has been found impossible to amend r the. law in regard to rating on farm t lands. A statement to this effect was i- made in the House to-dhy by the Min- - ister-in-Charge of the Valuation Dept. 1 (Mr. McLeod). Mr. A. Hamilton asked the Minister 3 whether it would be possible to pass 1 legislation this year, giving effect to 1 recommendations of the Commission ' on rating on farm lands. Unless some 1 legislation was passed immediately, said Mr. Hamilton, considerable in- ’ justice would be done to farmers in 1 the small boroughs. •The Minister replied that he very much regretted having to state that ’ it would be a physical impossibility to have the necessary drafting done in J time to cover adequately all the matters arising out of the Commission’s ' exceedingly valuable reports. These had been circulated to all city and . borough councils and so far, the criticism of a directly adverse nature which had reached him respecting the proposals had been practically neg- . ligible, those responsible for local body government in the areas affected agreeing in the main that real injustice existed in many localities, which un-

der'the present laws, were incapable of being met or removed. “Further investigation by the Departments chiefly concerned,” said the Minister, “goes to show that amendments to the Valuation Act are also required before adequate provision can be made to overcome fully the difficulties which are admited by all interested in the subsubject. I have therefore to state that after reviewing all the circumstances the Government is compelled to hold over legislation until such time as the affected local bodies have had a. full opportunity of going into the Commission’s recommendations, and to consult with my officers in preparation for next session of the legislation which it is hoped will provide facilities to remove as far as possible existing anomalies and hardships.”