RATING ON UNIMPROVED VALUES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 392, 2 September 1911, Page 5

RATING ON UNIMPROVED VALUES.

To the Editor. I Sir, I see by vonr Ja,«t issue that Mr Arthur Witty is to lecture in Kuiti on the above sobjec!, :mtl .-is I am one of those who believe the question deserving of thorough invent ip.arion ] am writing to express a hope that nil interested in the suhji r (will be present on Tuesday, September 12th. As far as I undersl and the principle is that, all municipal rules should be raised from the unimproved values of the land in tile heron;!!), instead of from the capital value of the land, and building on it.. Kora Street, is the principal business street in Te Kuiti, and the unimproved vnlaen of the bind there is higher than elsewhere. The rates would thus more heavily on owners of land in that, street, than, say, the owner of a cottage site in Duke Street or Queen Street. The present system of rat in;: seems to me inequitable, in that it. penalises the man who makes improvements, by building premises or a residence, while it. lets off very lightly the very number of speculative holders of freehold land or siative leases. Why should peopiewho have no intention of doinji any service to the town be rated iislhty, while the bona tide resident, has to pay a heavier rate just, because he has built a house or a shop'.' I hope the question will he thorousrby ventilated at the comim: inee'infv I am, etc., EQUITY.