COUNTY AFFAIRS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXII, Issue 4731, 21 December 1938, Page 5

COUNTY AFFAIRS

CONFERENCE WITH RIDING MEMBER. BURDEN OF RATING. DEEP CONCERN EXPRESSED. A series of resolutions carried at a recent large meeting of ratepayers of the Hangatiki riding were answered by the riding member, Cr. W. A. Lee, at a meeting held in the County Council Chambers on Monday evening. The chairman of the meeting, Mr. J. F. Roberts, said that other ratepayers ino the County area were looking to this meeting for a lead to decide whether action should be taken throughout the County, but as the attendance was somewhat disappointing this was scarcely possible. Eventually it was decided that a general meeting of ratepayers of the Waitomo County be held early in the New Year. The Farmers’ Union is to be asked to call this meeting. The first resolution registered an emphatic protest against the abnormal rise in rates in this riding. Cr. Lee said the principle cause of this dissatisfaction was the readjustment in rating throughout the County consequent upon the new valuations —the values placed upon many properties had been considerably lowered, and consequently a greater burden had been placed upon those whose valuations had remained more or less static.

The clerk, Mr. J. N. O’Brien, said that the rate levied in Hangatiki had risen from £3020 to £3380. The main increases were in the general rate, which rose from £1250 to £1530, and in the hospital rate, which increased from £250 to £360. The hospital rate over the whole County had been slipping during the last few years, and to meet the increased levy it had been necessary to strike this year £9OO more than before, but this would, with an 80 per cent, collection, just cover the hospital levy.

In special rating areas where the accounts were in credit the rates had been temporarily reduced, but with such accounts as Ahoroa and Rangitoto No. 1 the rate had to go back to the original amounts as the credits were depleted. An average of about 70 per cent, of the Hangatiki rates were collected.

Cr. Lee pointed out that during the past two years in the Hangatiki riding 20 miles 48 chains of new metalling had been carried out, and however much this was welcomed, it must be recognised that metal cost money to maintain. Three or four years ago Hangatiki had had a substantial credit balance. Increased costs had to be met out of this until last year the riding balance slipped by £6OO by reason of extra costs on every hand, and through the increased traffic on riding roads. Another resolution complained that as no indication had been received from the County Council of the pending increase in rates, the ratepayers had been deprived of the right of protest against the new valuations of their sections.

Cr. Lee, replying to this, said that it was not the function of County Councils to take any part in the valuations placed upon any man’s property —it merely received its valuation roll from the Valuation Department and rated accordingly. All had received the slip from the Valuation Department advising of the final date for objections, though probably few recognised that as a result of the general reduction those areas where little change had occurred would be loaded with a heavier rate.

Another resolution was that riding members should meet their ratepayers at the end of each year. Cr. Lee said he would always be willing to be present at such a meeting. Another resolution inquired as to the proportion of administrative costs to receipts, only about half of which were from rates.

In reply to this the clerk quoted from the Local Authorities’ Handbook the proportions as follows: Waitomo 4.56 per cent., Kawhia 7.14 per cent., Otorohanga 5.85 per cent., Waipa 4.8 per cent., Taumarunui 8.02, Ohura 4.03 per cent. The average for the whole Dominion was 5.83 per cent. Waitomo was the fourth or fifth largest county in the Dominion. Replying to Mr. Roberts’ question regarding the percentage of rates to total revenue, the clerk said Waitomo was unfavourably placed as compared with the closely settled counties, where more license fees were collected.

Special rates were undoubtedly the chief burden in Waitomo —the Council’s interest bill was £12,000 a year plus £2600 for the hospital levy, said Cr. Lee. There had been no money raised by way of loan during the past eight years, capital works havingproceeded with contributions from settlers and Council.

Mr. J. Harrison asked if special rates would continue to rise. The clerk said that would depend upon collections only the extension of Government development schemes would not affect them, as rates were paid upon freehold lands, and the Council received no revenue from abandoned property.

A resolution pressing for the abolition of the hospital rate found ready support from Mr. Lee.

“I think it is the most iniquitous rate of the lot,” he said as he stressed that every effort would be made to abolish this rate, through which, under the Social Security legislation, the farmer would be called upon to pay twice. Another resolution which was strongly supported by him was the one holding that the whole of the benzine tax should be spent on the roads, and that the total cost of the main highways should be borne by the Main Highways Board. The latter clause referred to the continued payment by the County Council of £3O a mile in special rates on that main highway formation undertaken prior to the institution of the Highways Board.

Asked by Mr. Roberts to state the position regarding land development and native development rating, Cr. Lee read a report on the deputation to Wellington submitted to the last Council meeting. “The Minister was entirely unsympathetic,” concluded Cr. Lee

Mr. Warriner: It would be interesting to know the use the Government makes of the road to Pururu. I’ll bet more goods have been taken out there than to all the settlers combined. After Cr. Lee had been accorded a vote of thanks, Mr. Roberts stressed the seriousness of the position. The riding member had cleared the ground so far as the Council and ratepayers were concerned. Concern prevailed amongst ratepayers through the Crown not paying rates, when the Crown traffic was up to four times that of the settlers.

Arrangements were then tentatively made for the meeting of County ratepayers early in the New Year.