RATING BILL

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 11326, 2 October 1930, Page 5

RATING BILL

MINISTER APP'ROA' ICS PRIVATE MEMBERS’ ’ MEASURE.

NEW' CLAUSE AFFECTS RELIEF of property ;•owners; •• -

ALTERATION BEJ ECTED

THIRD READING CARRIED

(Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Out. .1

Tho Rating Amendment Bill (Air. Mason), was considered in 'committed. '

Tho TTon.' W. Domlie Stewart, asked what were' tlio views of the. Government on the Bid. He contended it should not’ bo led to tho GPP'isition to undertake the responsibility of ■'determining whether private 'members’' Bills wore desirable of not. TlioTlon.'Pl A tie hi Per mild stud expert advieo was to the ujtebfc that till* Bill -was in no way undesirable. On tlio contrary, it would, to some extent, eliminate administrative tt-.f-ficult-ios; Mr. Barnard (L) ex] we. soil regret that Mr. Mason had imported mto tlio Bill a new provision which would have the elleet of faking away lydiu property-owners the rigid to rein’i. from payment ot rates m the eventof a. building being unoccupied lor six months, lie had no Knowledge of any ease in winch a person had (as it had been suggested might happen) erected a small shriek .mi a section for the purpose of- avoiding the payment of rates on the ground that the building was unoccupied ior six months Air. Lysnar (I) agreed with At... Barnard that it was unfortunate, the new provision was included ALr. Mason 'remarked that the remainder of the ratepayers in the district would have to bear tlm consequence of granting such rebates to property-owners. Other members ex pressed rog. r that Air. Alaxou bad not loft the tun in its original form, instead of seeking .to include, at a lew months notice, an amendment taking away an important right relating to relief Pom A division was sought when the amendment was [Hit, and it was defeated bv -18 votes to 10. Air Harris .(ID then moved an amendmetit with the object of providing tiuifc districts in. which the unnnprov--ed value svstem ol rating was in operation, should be exempt iroin Lie clause of the principal Act pnmdiu«r that liall rates were chargeable for buildings unoccupied tor six mouths. ii.,. The amendment was dcleauul u\ 41 votes to If. ... The Ball was tlumi reported to uu House with a minor aineu-'im nt. inserted at Air. Alason's request, -ml was read a third, tune and oa,,cU.