URBAN FARM LAND RATES

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 16 November 1932, Page 5

URBAN FARM LAND RATES

PLAN TO RELIEVE OCCUPIERS

SPECIAL OR SEPARATE LEVIES.

(By Telegraph—Press Association).

WELLINGTON, Nov. 15. Rating relief for occupiers of urban farm lands iis provided! for in the Urban Farm Land Rating Bill, which was introduced in the House to-day. Special provisons are made to covei those occupying less than three acres or more.

Urban farm land as defined by the Bill means land, whether situated within a borough or not, which for the time being is (1) subject to any general, special or separate- rates levied by a borough council; (2) used exclusively or prmcapally for agricultural, horticultural or pastoral purposes or for the keeing of bees, poultry or other live stock; (3) not in the opinion of the borough council, assessment court- or magistrate dealing with applications or oujections under the Bill fit for sub-division for building purposes within 10 years. The Bill provides that if there is no farm land list in force for: the borough, or if one has been ill force for not less than four years, the occupier -of a piece of urban farm land containing not' less than three acres which is liable to be rated separately by the borough coucil may apply to the council for the preparation of a list. This list shall contain particulars of urban farm land tor over three acres, as well as areas under three acres which are liable to be rated separately, the particulars being taken from the valuation roll. The council shall determine with respect to every property included in the list whether or not the rateable value should be reduced after taking into consideration the following factors; (1) Whether the rates payable by the occupier are excessive or unduly burdensome; (2) the municipal services available to property; (3) the incidence of special and separate rates in the borough and of the rates levied by other rating authorities; (4) wlip tiier any reduction would be like.lv tc impose an undue burden of rates on other ratepayers of the borough; (;>. any alteration of the rateable value since the valuation roll came- intcforce. The list shall remain open for inspection at the council’s office for 21 days, within which period any person having objections to make on the ground of the unrairness or the incorrectness of any special rateable value in the list may be heard. All objections to the farm land list will he heard before a special borougli assessment court presided over by a magistrate, with whom will be associated two .assessors, one- appointed on the recommendation of the council and the other on the recommendation of the Minister of Internal Affairs. The court is to have power to order tiio preparation of a farm land list in eases where the borough council has omitted to tam- such action. Application for a reduction in the rateable value may he made in a similar manner by the occupier of anv piece of urban farm land containing less than three acres ana it lie objects to the council’s decision he shall be entitled to be heard before a magistrate, who for this purpose of the Bill shall have all the powers and authority of an assessment court. All such entries ol special rateable values shall- continue in force for five years, or (until a farm land roll or new valuation ioll for the borough comes into force, or until the rating system in the boiougl is altered, which ever period is the shortest. If at any time the council considers that a property included in the farm land roll in respect of which an entry of special rateable value has been made m the valuation roll has ceased to be urban farm land it may determine to increase- the special' rateable volue to an extent not greater than the- ordinary rateable value. In such cases the- person interested in the property has the right to object to the council’s decision and to have his objection heard before a magistrate.