HARBOUR BOARDS

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 May 1930, Page 3

HARBOUR BOARDS

QUESTION OF CITY RATES.

[PER PBESS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON, May 5. Included in the many requests made to the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon P. A. de la Perelle) was one

that Harbour Boards should be called upon to pay rates to the city in which their buildings are situated in the same way as commercial institutions. The question was placed before the Minister by Mr F. M. Luckie, who said that Harbour Boards enjoyed all the amenities provided by cities, but contributed nothing to their cost. The success of a Harbour Board depended pn the prosperity of the city in which it was established. It seemed only fair that huge commercial concerns like Harbour Boards should be in the same position as other commercial concerns* in the matter of paying rates.

The Minister: Don’t you think the boot might be on the other foot? In Wellington, hasn’t the harbour actually made the city? The Mayor of Wellington (Mr G. A. Troup): The Harbour Board didn’t make the harbour.

Mi’ Luckie: Very largely, the business of the Board was built up by the development of th© city and th© back country. Where would the harbour be

but for the city? The Harbour Board

grew out of the city, and is probably on© of the most wealthy transport and commercial concerns in the Dominion. The Minister: I know the Wellington Harbour Board is very wealthy. Mr J. O’Shea pointed out that where Harbour Boards had rating powers they did not hesitate to rate local bodies in their district. The Minister said that he would look into the question.