De-Rating

Northland Age, Volume 3, Issue 12, 22 December 1933, Page 1

De-Rating

County Committee Discusses Position With Council On Wednesday evening members of the County De-rating Committee met the County Council at a round table conference in the Council Chambers, Kait.aia to informally discuss the ratij position and endeavour to devise means for the lifting of the rate burden from farm lands. The County Chairman who was in the Chair, in his opening remarks, said that all the members of the County Council were in favour of the movement h r the de-rating of farm lands and the Council had done all in its power to bring derating into effect. Although total derating was the goal to be aimed for, the speaker did not think that this could be accomplished for some time, but it may come in the future. Some good may come from the Royal Commission that was being set up to deal with local Government affairs in New Zealand. The first speaker of the Committee, Mr. G. Cosson, said that they should stick to the ideal of total de-rating but take all they could get as so much on account, but never forget that total derating of farm lands for road purposes was their aim. The deputation that waited on the Prime Minister asked that all the petrol tax he used for road purposes ; if this were done, then de-rating could practically he brought into effect, but owing to the state oj the finances of the country the Prime Minister would not agree to this course as part was wanted for the Consolidated Fun^. In response to a question put by the County Chairman, Mr. Cosson said that members of the De-rating Committee would be pleased to give evidence before the Commission, if requested to do so. M r. E. > Bird gave a resume of the steps tlfeMgid been taken by the deputation County Councils, Ratepayers’ Association- and the Farmers’ Union, that \yaited oil the Prime Minister. The speaker suggested that the Council approach other Council's in the North Auckland Peninsular with the view of forming a North Auckland Zone and work together to devise means of bringing de-rating into effect. In his remarks Mr. L. Pettit touched on the present land tenure, a system of holding that needed revising, was the

speaker’s opinion. Mr. YV. Rose briefly traced the work of the De-rating Committee since its inception, while Mr. W. Johnson, speaking for the small farmer, said that it was impossible for them to pay their rates at the present price cf dairy products. That ho was not an advocate of the total de-rating of farm lands was shown by Mr. Micliie ; lie considered that the land should be asked to bear a charge but not the crushing burden of rates that it was now asked to carry. The De-rat-ing Committee desired to work in with the Council and the speaker suggested that, although the Council had previously made representations regarding the injustice of the ratepayers carrying the burden of the loans that built the Highways, further strong representations should he made that the charge of interest and sinking fund on the £54,000 loan be taken from the land by the Highway Board. In answer to a question Mr. Micliie said that lie believed that Hospital rates should be a national charge not a local affair. Various questions were put to members of the Committee by Crs. Gartou and Mstthews who both spoke on the position especially in regard to the inability of the Council to carry on if the rates were not paid. In conclusion the Chairman said that the Council at its next meeting will discuss the position and see if some line of action could be adopted that would be helpful. The conference that evening had been of benefit and he was sure good would come of it. As Chairman of the De-rating Committee, Mr. Cosson thanked the members of the-Ccuncil for the spirit of friendliness with which they had met the Committee at tlie round-table discussion.