OUTSTANDING RATES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 3 April 1929, Page 5

OUTSTANDING RATES

MINISTERIAL REPLY TO A REQUEST The Minister of Lands has written as follows to Mr G. C. Black, M.P. for Motueka: — With reference to the representations of the deputation that waited on the Hon. W. A. Veitch at Murchison on the 23rd January last, regarding the inability of the County Council to collect certain outstanding rates: iC was suggested that in the event or transfer from one man to another, and the rates had not been paid, the Lands Department should be responsible for such rates. I regret that I cannot see my way clear to recommend the Government to approve of legislation be : in" passed, which would have the effect of making the general taxpayer foot the bill in connection with matters of purely local concern. The Land Act authorises a Land Board to forfeit a lease for non-payment of rates, and on a property being reselected the arrears of rates that are legally capable of being recovered may by a'resolution of the Board be_ paid out of improvement moneys paid to the Receiver of Land Revenue by the incoming lessee. Section 5 of the Land Laws Amendment Act 1928 now authorises a local body to sell the goodwill of a lease to a purchaser approved by the Land Board for nonpayment of rates levied after the 31st March, 1929.