CANNOT STRIKE RATES

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 140, 13 May 1930, Page 2

CANNOT STRIKE RATES

NO VALUATION ROLLS. POSITION OF lIOROWHENUA COUNTY. A strange position was revealed at the meeting of the Horowhenua County Council on Saturday, when it appeared that, owing to the cancellation of the Valuation Department of the old rolls and tho non-completion of the new ones, the council was faced with the difficulty of not being able to strike the rates at tlie annual meeting, to be held towards the end of this month. The matter, is to be the subject of representations to the Valuer-General and, if necessary to tile Minister. In a letter addressed to the county clerk, the Valuer-General (Mr T. Brook) stated that tho representations made by the county chairman and the clerk had been given full consideration, but as the valuations in the Tokomaru, Otaki and To Horo ridings were completed by March 31st, the old rolls for those riding had been cancelled, and the new rolls must bo used for rating for the current year. Every effort was being made to let the council have the completed rolls at tho earliest possible date. In the Wirokino riding the field work was nearing completion, and every effort would bo made to supply the council with a revised roll for this riding also, so as to be available for the current year’s rating. He understood that the council had tho provisional totals for Tokomaru and To Horo. In the Otaki riding there was a reduction of £102,331 in the provisional gross capital value. The District Valuer informed him that there might be a small reduction in the provisional capital value of the Wirokino riding. The chairman (Mr G. A. Monk) said that in company iwth the clerk he had waited on the Valuer-General, but the latter had been non-committal as to tho time when the valuation would be available. It appeared that, while three ridings had been valued, no valuations had yet been issued, and that the earliest at which the council could have a complete valuation roll if the valuations were issued forthwith would be in three or four months. There was a time allowed by statute for the making of objections; they were generally considered as between the objector and the valuer, and if an agreement could not be arrived at the cases subsequently went to an assessment court. A complete roll would not he available for some months to come. The valuation of the Wirokino riding was not complete, and at present it was not going on. as the valuer had been taken ilk Tlie chairman did not know when this officer would bo able to resume his duty, but Wirokino was a big riding and it would take several months before that roll could be available to the council for rating purposes. That put the council into a very bad position. He had very vivid recollections of what hnppeend in 1920: it was February before the council was able to get the Wirokino rate accounts out; immediately there followed a slump, and there was a huge amount unpaid on March 31, 1921. It was only just now that the council was getting that money in, and it had liad to pay a considerable amount for assistance to' catch up on the deficit. The position would occur this year unless the council could strike the rate early. If it was not struck till August, the penalty could not be imposed prior to March 31, and the county’s financial position would be very much compromised. The chairman suggested that the county clerk and himself interview the ValuerGeneral, and that, failing satisfaction' being obtained, a deputation wait on the Minister and if necessary a remit be sent to the Counties’ Conference, dealing with this matter. The clerk said that, from the district valuer’s point of view, it had been mentioned to him that unfortunately the valuing could not always be carried on during the twelve months of the year; when the weather was wet the work was to some extent held up.

Cr Ryder moved on the lines of the chairman’s suggestion, and the motion was seconded by Cr Colquhoun. The chairman said that if the council had to use the new valuation it did not seem possible for it to get its rate accounts out much before Christmas. The position would undo the work done on behalf of the council in the last four or five years, and would add to the difficulty and expense o: runnig the office. The motion was carried.