The Star. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 9, 1893.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 2500, 9 August 1893, Page 2

The Star. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 9, 1893.

THE RATING BILL.

This is a measure introduced for the threefold purpose of making provision tor tue eonsliuction ol assessment toUa bj tooal bodies, which will be necessary if the proposed abolition of tbe Government triennial assessment be agreed to ; for the taxation of native land ; and for rating on unimproved value. As to the first subject it is provided that each local body shall make its own valuation roll annually. The valuation roll made by the council of any county is to be the standard roll of all local bodies witbin tbat county, but in respect of their own rafceß a town board may make its own roll. Where the Counties Act is not I in force tbe road board roll ia to be the clauses is ooe providing tb&t " Where ' any rates remain unpaid after tbree I months from the date on whicb tbe first became recoverable from some petßon, euch rates shall, as against all persons liable to pay tbe same, carrypsterest at tbe rate of ten per centum per annum from the expiration of such three months until payment thereof." It is also provided tbat " Every owner of rateable property who shall Bell the same, or any part thereof, shall, within one month after such sale, give notice in writing thereof to the local body in whose district tbe property is situate. " The second part of tbe Act makes provision for tbe rating of native land. All native land is to be liable to rating in cases where the title has been ascertained by tbe Native Land Court, and also where the title has not been ascertained, if of such land there is an occupier, " an occupier " being defined to be (a.) Any person not being a native, who is in actual or beneficial occupation, or in receipt ot the rents and profits ot the land; (i.) Any pevßon entitled by virtue of any deed, agreement, or license for any period exceeding twelve months from the date thereof, to cut or remove timber from the land. There is power given to this Governor to exempt by Order-in-Council land from rating. Native land is not to be sold for rates without the sanction of the Trust Commissioner. As to local rating on unimproved value, the former definition of rateable property is repealed, and "rateable value " is to be construed as if the words " without the buildings and improvements tbereon " bad been enacted, in lieu of tho words •' with tbe buildicg3 and. improvements thereon,'* Any twenty or wove ratepayers may demand that a proposal to rate property upon the basis of unimproved value be submitted to a ratepayers' vote ; and the votes bhall be taken after tht manner in which voting is taken in respect of raising speoial loans, and must be carried by the majority required in the case of a special loan. In districts where the Act is adopted, a power to levy a rate of one shilling in tbe pound on the annual value of rateable property, or a rate of a, rate of I d in the pound on the capital value of rateable property shall be con* strued as authorising, under this Fart of this Act, a rate of sis farthings m the pound on the unimproved value of such land ; and a rate of six fartbiugs in tbe pound shall be deemed equivalent to a rate of threepence in the pound under this Act.