BOROUGH BATES INCREADED

Hutt News, Volume 6, Issue 4, 28 June 1933, Page 5

BOROUGH BATES INCREADED

■ \ ' - HALF PENNY IN £. A 'speicjal meeting o*f the Borough Council was held in Committee on Monday 19th to consider the Estimates for the" year, and it ■wias decided to strike a general rates of 6£d. This is the same rate in the £ as wias struick in 1931-13i2 when the borough valuation was lalmost £100,000 higher thai* a;t present. It is an increase of 4-d on the rate struck last year. In a, statement to the Press the Ma-' yor (Mr. J. W. Andrews), explained that the administrative costs had face a reduced in all depart meats, but that it Tvias 'pnoiposed to expend those, atnd other 'savings on road' maintenance, permanent sealing^ and- footpaths, (which 'votes, 'he taonsidercd, hadl ibeen, starved in the Ipast. If something anoie were riot done to the roads and *£o«<tpiaths this year itP Would^-soon Jbej necessary to recon»tru>et «a uunuber of: them. The high ecjst of unomploy-: metit relief was very adversely affe|c-t-j ing the .borough finances. Overdraft interest alone, on the amounts .ofj ■waigcs paid by the Boroiugh Council ,jfor Jthc Unemployment 'Board, ealfculated for the odd days during which '/the iCoun'cil had to await the Board's .cheques, cost the Council atlout £65 per annum. The stationery (cost for time sheets, ipay envelopes, arid sueh5 items in connection iwith relief works was over .£266 "per year. The amount .expended on supervision, .cartage and .material^ was £3008 for last year, and ,£3OOO was provided iii the Estimates for this yeari Tho reduction in rateable valuo was £76,800 during last yeai%, and Mhis meant an increase <o"f <|d in the £ in the rates 'to foe lev,ied. fThie reduction o-f unimproved values is caused iby reversions of properties to the borough, surrenders to the Crq/wn and appeals for revaluatons under Section 50 of the Valuation of Land Ate't 1925. Mr Andrew's said he doubted .if any other Iborough in New Zealand was so adversely JaffiMited ib'y State Advances properties, on /which no rates .could be levied. This was imposing a very hpavy burden on the remainder of the ratepayers. The amount of 'rates writ ten 'Oiff under this heading during the »ast three ye"ars vf'as considerably ovter £4000, and the lambunt for last year alone was £1851. Absolutely no provision had been mrade for these aUnounts :Uy previous councils. A complete revaluation of the 'borough had been applied for iby the prc^ ceding council, and he had renewed tho request, ibut without avail. Mr Andrews considered that the Act should be amended to (provide for ia .sruspension of Section 50 when application had been lodged for 'complete revaluation. The rise in the exchange aatc had adversely affected the position to the extent of £297 for this yar. It was im possible, at this juncture, to 'forecast the effect that tho TTrblan Farm Lands Bill would have. Tho overdraft was £27,925/1/10. at March 31st and had increased to over' £36,000 when Mr Andrews assumed office. There wore outstanding rates amounting to £25,927 for the three years shtee April Ist, 1930, and, of this amount, £15,276 wias for last year. He was making an effort ;to collect every possible penny of this amount at the earliest moment, and to securo the borough in cases, where the amount's were n!ot immediately, collectable. Tenders are ibeing called 'for certain services iwhkh he co-nsidered were at .present costing the -borough too much, iaud purchases in all departments were <vow ibeing made by tender. Every figure in the :Estimates wowkl *bear the fullest investigation. All the jeVidence ;bc'fofe him tended to show .that an error of judgment had (been ' committed when th rrftes Kvere reduced .last year. ' , Mr And rows, regretted the necessity .far increaaing the rates in su«h aibnorfnial times, "but wa>B sure the ratepayers gcnerlly would see the wisdom ,of attempting to re-establish the borough finances. One farthing increase •was necftssatry to compen-satc for the reduction in valuation, and the /other fa thing was nceessary to provide for the rates <to be writteu off an respect to tubandoued propefrtes df which the Orown was tho imortgagec. ■ The Mayor prio poses to hold a public meeting to -piano the whole of the borough 'before the ratepayers. Tho rate notices will probably be in tho hand« of all laeal xatopayers by tho ISth Jtly, and tho meeting rwill probably be held ion Thursday July •20th. •