NEW BOROUGH RATES.

Gisborne Times, Volume LV, Issue 6154, 11 August 1921, Page 6

NEW BOROUGH RATES.

INCREASE OF OYER 25 PER CENT. HAS COUNCIL BLUNDERED? In view of the fact of the new Borough valuations figures _ having been completed, a considerable amount of interest is evinced as to what effect the increases will have on the rates. Up to the present, the Borough Council has not estimated what tho total rates for the present vear will represent, as they have been requested by the Valuation Department to permit the rate book -to bo checked with the Department’s books before any final adjustment is made. From . the figures now available, however, it is apparent that the rates struck by the Borough Council for this year will be considerably in excess of those which were struck last year. The total of the rates struck for the year 1920, was approximately £38,000 and the rate slightly in excess of 6fd. This year the rate has .been reduced to 5 31-64 d. The rateable value, however, according to the figures of the Valuation Department, which were published in yesterday’s issue of the Times, has increased by £716,585, the new aggregate value being £2,092,575, compared with £1,375,990 in respect of the previous valuation. On _ those figures it is possible to ascertain approximately the total value struck this year, although oil account of the system of rating it is not possible to he exact. Owing to different rating areas in _ the Borough there is a slight variation in _ the rates in the various localities, 5 31.64. d being the average, and the only exact method of computing the total rates Avould he by the addition of the rates of each ratepayer. This, however, has not yet been done, and will not be started until all the items have been carefully checked. TVorking oil the figures available it would appear that a rate of 5 31.64 don £2,092,575 the rateable value of the horough—Avould produce a sum of £47,818.' This amount, compared with £35,000 struck last year shows an increase in rates of £9,518 or a difference of slightly over 25 per cent, between 1920 and 1921. For the reasons mentioned these figures are, necessarily, only approximate but, unless the checking of the figures between the Borough Council and the Valuation Department reveals some comparatively large differences in the figures, it would appear certain that the Borough Council miscalculated when it estimated that the total increase in tho rates would not be more than 10 or 124 per cent.