DERATING DEMANDED

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVII, Issue 4461, 24 October 1933, Page 5

DERATING DEMANDED

FARMERS WANT RELIEF. FURTHER ACTION PROPOSED. Ways and means of achieving the aim of derating rural lands for roacling purposes on the pnncpie the user of the roaus shouid pay for their maintenance were consiuered at a meeting of ratepayers and local bodies' representatives from throughout the South Auckland district in Hamdton last Friday. The meeting was heid in Toorak Hall, Mr. W. Lee Martin presiding over an attendance of about 90. A resoution protesting against the piesent rating system as unjust and inequitable was passed, and a deputation was formed to proceed to Wellington to further the derating claim.

Outlining the position, Mr. J. H. Furniss said that he and his colleagues were acting on the lines of the resolutions passed by the recent combined conference of local bodies and ratepayers in Hamilton, condemning the present system of rating as antiquated. He considered that the local bodies who were represented at that conference were in honour bound to stand behind the decisions of the conference. The considered opinion of that meeting was that the ruling system was inadequate and antiquated. The farmers were simply asking for the co-orjeratiou of the local bodies in bringing about a better state of affairs. They were not asking the Government to take any new steps, but merely to put its own recommendations into effect. Rating System Condemned. Mr. C. A. Magner agreed that the resolution of the previous meeting should be re-affirmed, and he moved: "That this meeting demands that the present iniquitous system of roading taxation should be abolished and the Government should give effect to the findings of the Parliamentary committee, which recommended that relief should be given in roading taxation."

Mr. Lee Martin reviewed the finding of the Parliamentary Committee, set up to go into this matter, and pointed out that the Government was not necessarily bound to carry out the recommendations of these committees. He mentioned that a rebate of 125 per cent, on rates had been given in the year the committee sat. The committee had not recommended total derating. There was some difference of opinion at this stage as to whether total or partial derating should be the aim of the meeting. It was pointed out by Mr. Feisst that total derating had been affirmed as the ultimate aim. After several suggestions had been made Mr. Magner amended his resolution to read: "That this representative meeting of ratepayers of the South Auckland district urges the Government to recognise the present unfair and inequitable system of rating land for roading purposes, and demands legislative sanction to give immediate and substantial relief to ratepayers, with the ultimate objective of total derating of all farm land for roading purposes within three years." This was seconded by Mr. W. Boyd. Non-Payment of Rates. The views of a meeting of Huntly West ratepavers were expressed by Mr. G.. Bowen, who moved as an amendment: "That this meeting of ratepayers is of opinion that to bring about total derating of farm lands farmers should refuse to pay any rates this year." This was seconded by Mr. H. Kirk (Walton). Mr. Feisst said that total derating as advocated by the Farmers' Union involved both general and special rates. He reviewed the financial aspect of the Main Highways Board's activities and quoted returns from motor taxation in support of his contention that sufficient taxation was ah*eady levied to effect derating. Referring to the suggestion that farmers shoud pay no rates, Mr. P. Hawke (Hinuera) said the Government had repudiated its obligations by its non-payment of rates on Crown lands.

Mr. Magner's amended resolution was carried unanimously, Mr. Bowen's amendment being lost by a large majority. A committee consisting of Messrs. R. Feisst, W. Lee Martin, W. Boyd, S. V. Simms (Otorohanga) and D. B. Higgins (Matamata) was set up to co-operate with a deputation from North Auckland in proceeding to Wellington to place the derating claim before the Government. A resolution protesting against the passing of the Reserve Bank Bill was also passed.