OTAKI BOROUGH.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 25 September 1928, Page 7

OTAKI BOROUGH.

ANSWEES TO QUESTIONS... THE COMMISSION'S FINDING. ; . -.V / : ’v; V : ■ NO. 111.- /,/,'/ The full text of the report of the, recent. Otaki Borough Commission is now available,' find, apart from the general questions involved " regarding / rating on farm lauds in Boroughs, it deals with Otaki’s special problems ’ very critically. ' Summed ; up ‘the Commission’s recommendations are as follows: .. (1) That the sewerage and water ac3i€9ait^; : wef^ ; Tar'-'ih "excess' of requirements/ (2) That all lands excluded since 1921 be re-included subject to classification and differential ing.(3) (That the Borough Council’s ■offer ; to aiocejpt a cash payment cf 25 per cent (£861) from the Government to wipe out outstanding native rates (£3444) be adopt- 1 ed. ■. ■ ■■■. (4) That all native land not occupied by the owners be vested In the Ikaroa Maori Land Board. ; (5) That the Board of -Heialth require the- Borqugh Council to complete the sewerage scheme and " if they neglect the-Board to do so' at the Borough’s cost. (6) That the Borough be classified into three classes and rated according to the benefits received. /■/ Following is the third and final instalment of the report: — _ .Reverting to the particular references to your Commissioners: “SUITABLE FOR MUNICIPAL CONTROL.” (1) “ Whether the area now comprising the Borough of Otaki is suitable for municipal control, or whether it is desirable that the borough be abolished.” ; - : For the reasons above stated, your Commissioners consider that the area now comprising the Borough of Otaki (together with all lands formerly in the borough and now excluded therefrom) is suitable for municipal control. The population of Otaki and its area are not in contravention of statutory requirements, (vide section 3, Municipal Corporations Act, 1920), and the population of - the borough is steadily, slowly, increasing (vide Schedule G). The-locality offers considerable climatic, seaside/ and soil attractions, and is within easy* distance of the City of Wellington. ' Your Commissioners refer • to the practical evidence of. the chairman of the /Horowhenua County Council (Schedule A, p. 125) om-this question. Your Commissioners do not consider it desirable that • the borough should be .abolished. , ' . BOROUGH SHOULD OONTINIT E. (2) “If it is desirable that the borough* be abolished, what provision should ’’be. made for the future control of the area now comprising the her •ough. ” . Your Commissioners do not consider it desirable that .the borough /should be abolished,: ah'd therefore no,/further answer to this question is, necessary. BOUNDARIES SHOULD BE EN- ( LARGED. / (3) “If it is not ‘ desirable that the •borough be -abolished, whether any alteration of boundaries thereof ought to be made either by the exclusion of lands from, or the inclusion of lands in,’the borough.'' Your. Commissioners recommend that an alteration of the ooundancs of the borough ought to be made by the inclusion of the whole of the lands described in the Schedules to the three Orders in Council.hereinbefore referred to, excluding lands from the borough (vide New Zealand Gazette, 1926, p. -2465, and 1927, p. 949 (2). Your Commissioners do not recommend the exclusion of the lands the subject-matter ■of the two petitions respectively hereinbefore stated to have been received in the months of July and August, 1927 or of any other lands, from the borough. . , NO FINANCIAL ADJUSTMENTS , NECESSARY. (4) “Whether either in respect of any alteration of the boundaries of the said borough heretofore made or in respect of any steps recommended by , the Commission , under the foregoing paragraphs hereof it is , desirable that •the financial adjustments provided for by section 145 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1920, should bo made, or whether in view th?reof it is desirable that other adjustments of a special nature should by reason of'the circumstances of the case be. made, and, if so, what adjustments should be made.” As your Commissioners recommend the inclusion in the borough of all lands excluded therefrom since the constitution thereof, and as no financial .adjustments pfvided for by section .145 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1920, have been made in respect of any lands excluded from the borough, your Commissioners do hot consider that it is necessary that any adjustments of a special nature should be made. They /consider, however, that if the Otaki Borough Council and the Horowhenua County Council find that any adjustments are necessary or advisable iu respect of the periods of exclusion, .those local authorities should use their leo’al powers to make such adjustments. • * WARDS UNDESIRABLE. (5) “Whether it is desirable that the borough be divided into wards.” As the population of the borough is small, and as it appears to your Commissioners that the creation of wards would only increase differences in the ' various parts of the Borough, your Commissioners do not consider it desirable that the borough be divided im ‘.to: wards; V ’ COUNCIL MUST COMPLETE . 1 . SEWERAGE. # ; (6) “Whether the aforesaid,requisition of the Board of Health should be given-effect to, and, if so, what, steps should Be taken in order that such requisition may be given effect to.” This question has- already been fully •dealt with. -Your Commissioners re- - commend ' that the requisition of the Board of Health, should be given effect .. -to, and that in the event of refusal or neglect ,by; the borough to g£vs' effect y\ -jo requisition tae provisions of

section s43vqf dhe/Health Ae ; t, 1920, or of any other' statutory autliorlty in that behalf should be invoked. L : NO.,SPECIAL VALUATION. (7) and to what extent, having regard to the purpose or pur‘poses fpx:which any lands in the borough, hcfeused,, it is ; desirable, That for : the-purpose of the levying of rates by 'fthe r; Borough .Council, either for its own purposes or as. a contributory local authority/'Under any. Act, .such lands be valued on a special basis other than the basis of valuation thereof under •the Valuation of Land Act, 1925. ” • Your Commissioners are of opinion that there should be only one basis of valuation-of lands in the: Borough of Otaki; and they are further of opinion that, subject to the adjustment of the incidence of rating and the classification hereinbefore recommended by your Commissioners, the system of rating in Otaki Borough should not be altered.' They therefore do not recommend that the lands in the borough should be' valued on a special basis other than the basis of valuation thereof under Hip Valuation of Land Act, 1925, NO RATING UNLESS BENEFITED. (8) “If it is considered advisable that any lands in the borough be valued for rating purposes bn a special basis as aforesaid, then to what extent, if any, it is desirable that such lands be excluded from the rating area in respect of any future loans secured by a special rate over rateable property within the borough.” Although it is not considered advisable by your Commissioners that any lands in the borough should bo valued for rating purposes on a special basis, nevertheless your Commissioners consider it desirable that lands in the borough which will not be benefited or served by , special works should be excluded from the rating area in respect of loans and charges in connection with such .works, which loans and charges .should be secured by special rate over such rateable property within the borough /as will be benefited or served thereby. (9) “To what extent, if any, it is,desirable that lands that will not, or are not likely to, receive any benefit from" the expenditure of loan-moneys should be excluded from the rating area in respect of any future loans secured by a special rate over rateable property within the borough.” The answer to this question is substantially to be found in the answer to the preceding reference (3). Your Commissioners consider it desirable that lands that will not, or are not likely to, receive any benefit from the expenditure 'of loan' moneys bo excluded from the rating area in respect of any future loans secured by special rate, which should be levied over such rateable property within the borough as is benefited or served by the works to provide for which such loans are raised. ADJUSTMENT AND, CLASSIFICATION. (10) “Whether it is practicable or desirable in any way to vary, by means of a system of differential rating, or by any other means, the incidence of rates and the relative amount of rates (whether general, special, or any other kind) that are or may hereafter be assessable in respect of any lands in the borough, or any lands that have been or'will be excluded therefrom.” Your Commissioners recommend that it is practicable and desirable, by means of the adjustment of the incidence of rating and the classification hereinbefore recommended by your Commissioners, to vary the incidence of rates and the relative amount of rates (whether general, special, or any other kind) that are now assessable in respect of borough lands, including the lands which, have been excluded therefrom, and your Commissioners do not consider that any lauds should be excluded from the borough in future. They consider also that the method of adjustment and classification hereinbefore recommended should be employed, if applicable, in the case of rates that may hereafter be assessable-in respect of any lands in the borough., BOROUGH'S.RATING POWERS SHOULD NOT BE CURTAILED. (11) “What restrictions, 4f any, should be placed upon the power of the Borough council to amend, under section 23 of the Local Bodies' Loans Act, 1926, any special rate either in respect of lands within the borough or in respect of lands which have been or may be excluded from the borough but so as to remain liable for any special rate.” ■ ' ■ , While your Commissioners are of opinion, and recommend, that special rates in respect of lands which are excluded from a borough should not be increased between the time of exclusion and the making of anyjfinancial adjustment under, section 145 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1920, and, if legislation is necessary to give effect to such recommendation, advise such legislation accordingly, your Commissioners do not consider that .there should be any curtailment of the power Of the Otaki Borough Council to increase special rates in respect of lands within the borough. As to lands which have been in the past excluded from the borough and subjected to an increase of special rates, your Commissioners have no recommendation to make, as they consider, in the special case of these lands, such increase was apparently legal and justifiable, and in view of the fact that your Commissioners recommend the reinelusion of these lands within the borough. As has been stated, your Commissioners do not consider that any lands should bo excluded from the borough in future. UNIMPROVED VALUE CONTINUES (12) “ Whether, notwithstanding the provisions of the Rating Act, 1925, as ( ,to the adoption of any particular system of fating in any district, it is desirable that any system of rating other than that now in force in the borough should bo in force therein, and, if so, what system and by what means it should bo adopted.” Your Commissioners do not consider that it-is desirable that any system of rating other than that now in force in the Borough of Otaki shouldbe- m force therein, but they do consider that there should be an adju.stin.cnt of the , incidence of rating and' classification as 1 hereinbefore recommended under the system- of rating,, now .in force, Thefact 1 that there is grairittg, ftnd/rf|cri«}ib taral land in the borough, aadnbpre*-

peet of extension of building land into the area occupied by such grazing and agricultural land, necessitates the ad* justment and classification hereinbefore recommended by your Commissioners. (13) ‘'ln the event»of your reporting under the last preceding paragraph hereof that a system of rating other than that now in force in the borough should be adopted, what provision, if any, should be made for the future altering of the system so to be adopted. * ’ As your Commissioners do not recommend that 'any alteration in-the system of rating now in force in the borough should be made,- no further provision is necessary, or should be made, for the future altering of the system. GENERAL. (14) "Such other matters affecting or incidental to the Borough of Otaki, and the administration thereof by the Otaki Borough Council, as may come under your notice in the course of your inquiries and as you may think it necessary and desirable to consider. ’ 1 Your Commissioners finally desire to point out that, while .certain features of the adjustment of the incidence of rating and classification set out in this report may be found upon investiga- j tion to be applicable and necessary in] the case of other boroughs in the Dominion, they consider that the adjustment and classification adopted by this report is essential in the case of the Borough of Otaki, Your Commissioners further enclose (Schedule H) originals of four letters, and documents therein referred to, from persons having an interest in the inquiry and resident in the Boroughs of Thames, Woodvifle, and Eoxtoh, and the Town District of Havelock North. Your Commissioners have the honour to return herewith the Commission with which Your Excellency was pleased to favour them, together with all documents and plans forwarded to them in connection with such Commis|sion. They also enclose newspaper advertisements of the Commission, And ~this our report, which has been unanimously adopted, we have the honour respectfully to submit for the consideration of Tour Excellency in obedience' to the Commission addressed to ns. , Given under our hands and 1 seals this sixteenth day of June, nineteen hundred and twenty-eight. : (L. 8:) B. M. WATSON, , I■■ 1 ■■ Chairman. (L S.) W. T. STRAND, ■ W. ' -