Local Bodies and Urban Farm Lands

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7207, 3 May 1930, Page 7

Local Bodies and Urban Farm Lands

MUNICIPALITIES SET UP COMMITTEE. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. Important decisions concerning local body taxation and the rating of urban farm lands were arrived at at a meeting in Wellington to-day of the executive of tho Municipal Association of New Zealand. In announcing tho results to the Minister of Internal Affairs (tho Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle) tho Mayor of FeUding (Mr. C. E Taylor) stated that a special committee had beeh appointed to investigate tee whole question of local body taxation and revenue in New Zealand. The personnel is as follows: Mr. M. F. Luckio (deputy Mayor of Wellington), Messrs. G. A. Lowin (town clerk, Dunedin), P. Skoglund (town clerk, .‘■’■tratford), W. J. Rogers (Mayor of Wanganui), T. Jordan (Mayor of Masterton), J. O’Shea (City solicitor, Wellington), and C. E. Taylor (Mayor of FeUding). "The questions concerned in the inquiry are due for review,” said Mr. Taylor. "We desire to find a system of taxation that will he fair for the whole Dominion and for all classes of ratepayers. Tho committee the executive has to-day set up to go into tho whole matter will meet from time to time in Wellington to see if it can bring forward to tho Association’s next conference proposals designed to place local body taxation on a better basis. Farm Lands in Boroughs. Mr. Taylor informed the Minister also that the executive would forward to him within a fortnight a special report setting out what legislative action they considered necessary on tho question of tho rating of urban farm lands. Tho association asked that the report be given legislative effect. At the executive meeting, it had been decided to urge that councils be allowed to givo relief up to -10 per cent instead of 30 j>er cent., as proposed originally and that tho area, affected be reduced below the three acres proposed, if the local body decided by resolution to give relief in suca cases. "Tho association is desirous of giving relief,” added Mr. Taylor, "but wc do not desire a full classification of our boroughs to give relief to a number of ratepayers.” He mentioned that another now suggestion of the executive was that the decisions of councils could be reviewed by, a tribunal consisting of either a magistrate alone c*r a magistrate and two assessors whose decisions would be final. Tho Minister: Was that a unanimous decision of your conference? Mr. Taylor: Yes and a second resolution was carried, condemning the Bill promoted last year. Tho Minister said ho was glad Mr. Tailor had dealt with the question, gf be form of rating relief was absolutely essential. The representations | of the conference would receive hi? fullest consideration.