RATEPAYERS’ AFFAIRS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4804, 30 June 1939, Page 4

RATEPAYERS’ AFFAIRS

REPRESENTATIONS TO MINISTER LARGE DEPUTATION. NEED FOR ACTION STRESSED. Not far short of a hundred farmers were present in the Friendly Societies’ Hall yesterday to make representations to the Hon. W. Lee Martin, Minister of Agriculture, on matters affecting ratepayers in the Waitomo County. The gathering was presided over by Mr. W. A. Lee, chairman of the County Council, and with him was associated Mr. W. J. Broadfoot, M.P. Mr. Lee reviewed comprehensively the difficulties of this County owing to inability to collect the native rate, £4454 of which was struck annually but only £lO6 collected, the failure of ' the Land Development Department to pay anything like the full rates on the lands being developed in this County, and the unfairness of the present system of hospital taxation; and he stressed that a greater portion of the share of motor petrol taxation should be made available through a £1 for £1 subsidy on roads other than highways, to the County Councils for road maintenance. He was strongly supported in these contentions by Mr. J. N. Boddie, a member of the Council. Four speakers for the Waitomo Ratepayers’ Association then placed the view of that body before the Minister. Mr. J. F. Roberts dealt with the question of rate payments on land development, Mr. R. Boddy with the native rating question, Mr. Lloyd Wilson with the injustices of the present form of hospital taxation, and Mr. C. J. Riddle with the need for a greater proportioin of petrol taxation to be allocated to back country roads. The Minister gave each speaker an attentive hearing and promised that the representations made would be forwarded, to the appropriate quarters for consideration.

A fuller report of the proceedings will be published in Monday’s paper.