FARM LANDS IN BOROUGHS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 70, 6 March 1930, Page 8

FARM LANDS IN BOROUGHS

COMPLEX QUESTION OF RATING

MINISTER’S ADDRESS TO MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

Invercargill, March 5. At the municipal conference, the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. P. A. de la Parrelle), in the course of an address, referred to the Urban Farm Lands Rating Bill. “During last session, said the Minister, “I introduced the Urban Farm Lands Rating Bill, framed with the object of providing a means of giving relief from excessive rates to occupiers of small farms in boroughs. That Bill was the outcome of the report of a commission which in 1928 considered the subject. The commission, after its enquiries, found that the rating of certain farm lands in boroughs was excessive, and it recommended a scheme of classification of lands within the boroughs affected, so that differential rates could be levied.

During tho debate on the second reading of the Bill, members on all sides of the House displayed a keen interest in the subject ol municipal rating, and they expressed a desire that a further opportunity should be* given to consider the Bill. In deference to this request the Government agreed that he Bill be referred to the Local Bills Committee to take evidence and report. The House agreed to this course. “The amount of evidence that was tendered by your association played an important part in the proceedings, and among other things your representatives gave an undertaking to the Local Bills Committee that the subject of farm lands in boroughs would be very carefully investigated by this conference. Acting on this undertaking the Local Bills Committee came to the conclusion that it would be better to defer the measure and it reported to the House accordingly, the House agreeing to the report.

‘‘Later on in the proceedings of this conference it will come up for consideration, and I would like tu take this opportunity of urging that tho delegates give most careful thought to this serious question. I do not wish at this stage to explain the measure, but I do wish to say this, that the Government will give most serious consideration to the recommendations which your confer ence makes following its deliberations on the subject, and if the delegates can show that the proposal is wrong or that the method of dealing with it is wrong, or can in an> way show a better method of dealing with the complex question, then it will be my earnest desire to do what [ can to bring about some state of affairs which will be satisfactory to all parties.”

TOWN CLERKS OPPOSE IT.

Speaking at the annual meeting at Invercargill of the Institute of Town Clerks, the president, Mr P. Skoglund, referring to the Urban Farm Lands Rating Bill, said he had circularised all town clerks regarding the matter, and out of. 85 replies received 84 had objected to the measure. He expressed the opinion that the Government would not go on with the Bill in the face of such strong objection.