LEVY ON CUT TIMBER

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 August 1929, Page 2

LEVY ON CUT TIMBER

MILLERS’ OPPOSITION.

When at yesterday’s meeting of the Grey County Council, rates for the current year were under consideration, the proposed levy of per 100 ft on all timber cut during the year was discussed* 1 Cr W. T. Ogilvie said that he shared the opinion of other sawmillers who thought that the levy was unfair, and took very strong exception to it. Mr M. Keating, county clerk, said the position was that the average sawmiller had had his rates reduced by from £7 to £l2, but was then asked to pay £lOO or more by the levy. He read a list of receipts from sawmil'lvng concerns showin gthat in all cases where cutting was undertaken considerably more had been paid as levy during nine months of the present financial year than during the whole year formerly when rates were paid. . After consideration of the figures, Cr Ogilvie moved that the. levy be not struck this year. He added that if it were found that the Council could not get on without it, the levy could be imposed next year. Cr H. G. Carter said that no doubt the millers had been through bad times, but he suggested that more time be allowed to look into the matter. The unfair part of it, said Cr A. Robinson, was that the sawmiller was paying under the levy about five times his rates. * . „ „ Cr Ogilvie agreed with the suggestion that a decision be deferred, and withdrew the motion, on the understanding that the Clerk and Mr J. Higgins, engineer, would go into the matter and report to the next meeting.