Hutt City Rates

Hutt News, Volume 20, Issue 3, 19 June 1946, Page 7

Hutt City Rates

BEPTA' TO CRITICISM CONSTANTLY RISING COSTS . "The £1 today is worth about 7/6. and I believe that before the enc of the year it. will 'be worth onlj 5/-," said Mr. I''. Lonsdale, a member of the City Council, at a meeting of the Lower Hutt Ratepayers' As sociation, when referring to the constantly-rising costs. Mr. Lonsdale was answering criticism of the City Council regarding the rate likely to be struck this year. He said that it was possible thai rates would'go up. Everything else had gone up in price. Last year the rates amounted to £95,000, of which £35,000 went to the hospital, leaving the city to be run on £60,000 — "just about what it cost Mr. Nash to keep the Legation going in Washington,", said Mr. Lonsdale.-. "With the extra cost of everything the Council will do well if it keeus the rates down to 3/9," continued Mr. Lonsdale. The Council was doing all it possibly could for the ratepayers and always welcomed suggestions which, came from the Ratepayers' Association. Regarding the suggestion of an interest-»free loan the Council had endeavoured for some time to get such a loan but had been unsuccessful, and lie did not think it would be obtained. COURT RESERVES JUDGMENT After hearing argument for two days last week the Court of. Appeal reserved judgment in the case in which the Lower Hutt City Council sought a declaratory judgment to ascertain whether its intention to strike a rate on the annual value and the steps leading thereto -were valid.