RATING ON UNIMPROVED VALUES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIII, Issue 13716, 5 April 1905, Page 9

RATING ON UNIMPROVED VALUES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —A Mr James TV, Hunter, in your columns of Saturday, quotes with great gusto the fact that Mr R. C. Bishop,

ox-mayor of New Brighton, has announced his belief in and also his intention to vote for rating on unimproved values in the borough (New Brighton). I would suggest that probably Mr’Bishop’s interest in the borough are now very small, and that it is immaterial to him how his property is rated. Mr Hunter himself, as far as I can ascertain, is not- possessed of any property in the borough, so his views are theoretical; like most agitators, he can’t lose anything anyway. I would like to ask the promoters of the unimproved system of rating why, if I have bought a piece of ground at present market value, I should be compelled to build upon it? The land, as far as I am concerned, has not, increased in value by my neighbours’ improvements. If we all started at prairie value there might- bo something in the system, but not now. This Mr Hunter talks glibly of giving the building trade a fillip. The erection of additional houses at Now Brighton might suit the building trade and tenants like Mr Hunter, who is, I have every reason to believe, living in a rented house; but whether it is to the interest of landowners to build in a place where there are already several houses empty and to. which the new tram service is likely to prove a somewhat more expensive means of getting to town than formerly, seems to mo somewhat doubtful.—l am, etc., SECTION OWNER.