BURDEN OF COUNTY RATES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 3 June 1930, Page 2

BURDEN OF COUNTY RATES

(To the Editor)

Sir, —In view of the chairman's statement at the Waimea County Council meeting on the Bth ultimo, anticipating that the Government would pay the whole cost of repairing the earthquake damages to Nelson Hospital, ratepayers were very much surprised to find that the Council had subsequently ignored such a promising official statement and increased the Hospital rate per cent, for the current year, thus reverting to their old policy of pursuing the course of least resistance, prompted perhaps by the recent remarks made by a prominent member of the Nelson Farmers' Union as reported in "Tho Mail" to the effect that the rates were not high enough. Those ratepayers, however, who do not agree with Mr O'Connor on the subject of local taxation on the land will notice with dismay, or despair, that notwithstanding the present severe depression in the primary industry and the parlous position of many of the ratepayers the Council has again further increased the general rates (for the benefit of motorists) in the following ridings, viz.: Wangamoa increased 9 1-11 per cent., Motupiko increased 10 per cent, (making the increase in Motupiko general rates 22 per cent, in the last two years, plus increase in hospital rate 27£ per cent, this year), Dovedale increased 20 per cent., Moutere increased 18i per cent. According to "The Mail' report the increase in Motupiko rates was attributed to the acquisition of land for afforestation. Judging 2 however, by the number of abandoned sections and farms in this district it would be nearer the truth to attribute such failure to the intolerable burden of local taxation on the land, seeing that in many instances the rates now amount to more than the rents. And if the rates are increased at the same ratio in the Motupiko riding for a few more years there will certainly be many more thousands of acres, which are at present producing wool and muti ton, available for the activities of the State Forest Service in this district.— I am, etc., H. G. BERRYMAN. Kokatu, 2nd June.

P.S.—The .operations of tho Main Highways Act, 1922, have been a boon to motor traffic, and tbe travelling public, but the following official figures afford some idea of how this legislation, ostensibly intended to relieve the ratepayers, has actually affected the man on the land, viz. : General and Hospital rates collected in Waimea County (including Tahuna and Croixelles, since eliminated) for the year ending 31st March, 1913, £10,787. Ditto for the year ending 31st March, 1929, £22.334. H.G.B.