MOUNT ROSKILL RATING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19626, 3 May 1927, Page 12

MOUNT ROSKILL RATING.

Sir,—Afl a ratepayer and resident, 0 f this district, I would like to iuaka a few remarks regarding rating on unirriproved values, which would be a huge tniatake in such a widely scattered district as Mourt iioskill. It would benefit the rich man at the expense of th« poor one. For inntance, if one man owned ;i £SOOO house, while his neighbour had a £SCO one, on the same sized allotment, both would .pay the same amount in rates, though there might be twenty or thirty occupants sa ihfe large house enjoying the same privileges of roads, footpaths, etc., against perhaps only two or three in the (smaller house. Is this fair? In the outlying parts of this district there are folly tivo hundred men, each working long hoars on & few acres in order to make a bare living. Theso _ men at present are performing valuable work in providing fruit, vegetablet, eggs, poultry and dairy produc® for tlie- city Rating on unimproved values* would rnirt them. Do any of the electors wish to have this on their consrienoes? The rates in the closely-settled areas are at present very light, while practically ali the rate monevs hnva been spent in these parts. Therefore the rate payers should take a foroadminded. humane view of the matter, r.tid even those tvho are the fortunate possessor# of large expensive houses, who have lower rates under the uoimoroved rating, shooM think of the fortunate people and record their votes against it. It will pa? three-quarters of the ratepayers to vote against it: the other wealthy ouarter can sffordr to pay thesr rate# as tbev are at present. E. R. A men. Hid f»e Road.