WELLINGTON RATES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 17 June 1932, Page 2

WELLINGTON RATES

REDUCTION NOT POSSIBLE VIEWS OP CIVIC LEAGUE At a recent meeting of the Wellington Civic League the questions of rating and city works were very fully discussed, and it was finally decided to appoint a special committee which should .summarise the views of the league on the subjects of rates, works, and general policy, comments “The Post ’. There is here * presented the statement of the league’s committee : An examination of the city’s rating and finance in relation to the carrying out. of necessary city works and services shows that for the period of the present council things have been cut rate fine and will be so in the current year. The, total rates for 1931-32 were £508,300. It is estimated that for the year 1932-33 they will bo about the same. Ilow this is affecting the controllable expenditure, on which the works and services depend, is shown by the following figures: —Controllable expenditure, 1930-31, £319,895; 1931-32, £250.040; 1932-33, £195,446. Thus the City Council budgeted for a drop of £69,855 last year, and a further decrease of £54,594 this year. The total decrease of £124,449 iu the two years is a very clear declaration of most drastic cutting. On tile other hand, the city is faced with unavoidable increases in fixed charges of £27,909 this year, in addition to the £13,003 allocation for unemployment relief (set out in our previous report). These figures indicate very plainly that the city is faced with a very serious position, and that every care should be taken to avoid pushing the council in directions which might involve most serious trouble for (lie city. The proposal put forward by the Wellington Ratepayers’ Association that the City Council should reduce the rates 10 pei" cent., in face of the present position ol the city’s finance and works, appears !i> us quite ridiculous. This proposed reduction would not affect the fixed charges, which have in any case 'o be met. The amount, 10 per cent, off the total rates, would mean another £50,000 of the controllable expenditure. In our opinion the city’s works and services have, in many directions, been already cut to the hone. Another cut of 10 per cent, would involve the stoppage of some works, restriction of others that arc necessary, and augmenting the existing heavy burdens of unemployment and loss of spending power, etc. The league is entirely opposed to any such policy, and we fail to understand how any persons associated with business can give it countenance for a minute l . As the league represents many hundreds of ratepayers we are voicing our opposition to this rash policy in the interests of the ratepayers and citizens in general. We have noted that the Ratepayers’ Association (one amongst many) has put, forward the novel idea that the City Council should first reduce the rates 10 per cent, and then allot what remains What genius evolved the idea that the city in its business should first drastically reduce and then find out whether it can carry on or not we do not know. Of this we are sure, that no prudent person would apply this in his own business. One business man on tho league’s council presented the view, generally endorsed, that to add to tho depression by the method suggested would mean lowering his business turnover and ho would sooner meet a small increase in rates than have that- affected.

In regard to civic organisation and the steady progress of our city tho league affirms certain definite principles. It is prepared to co-operate with the Ratepayers’ Association if these principles f found necessary) are accepted. First, it is opposed to organisation on the basis of class interests. It is for the citizens as a whole. Class consciousness it holds to he bad policy for country or city, as it digs the grave of real co-operation. The league only endorses criticism of those in office which is fair and just, taking all the facts into consideration. At the present time the league looks only for the prevention of waste, the co-ordination of services to effect- constructive economy; the avoidance, if possible, of increase of rates; the maintenance of city works so that we may not, from neglect, liavo to pay much more later on from depreciation or oversight. “We think that under the very trying circumstances the City Council and officers have done good work, and we give credit candidly where it is due.”