FARMS IN BOROUGHS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20392, 22 October 1929, Page 9

FARMS IN BOROUGHS.

TAXATION RELIEF. URGED. VIEWS OF NURSERYMEN. Rofercnco to the heavy harden of taxation upon small farmers -within boroughs and town districts which rated upon unimproved value was mado by Mr. G. A. Green, secretary of the New Zealand Horticultural Association, in a report to the "Auckland council of the association last evening. It was necessary that tho association should continue to press the Government to do something to mitigate the evil and givo somo relief, he said. The association suggested that tho report of the Feilding commission should be mado the basis of any relief granted. At, Otahuhu small fruitfarmers were paying £8 an aCre in rates alone for land which they could not possibly cut up and dispose of. Although it had been hoped that legislation to'give relief to such cases would be put through this session, that now appeared unlikely. .• . • , . ~ "'We think that the valuations should stand and that relief should be given on the lines of tho English Act, oil the basis of what. the land is- useful for," Mr. Green sa;<*. -The English law provided for rebates 'from 15 per cent, to 70 per cent., but in New Zealand it was suggested that the margin should bo from 15 per cent, to 45 per cent. Mr.- V. G. Davies, the Dominion president of tho association, said that under the present system of rating the burden fell heavily on tho nurserymen, whilo much larger businesses which did not require so much land escaped lightly.