LOCAL BODY TAXATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20554, 3 May 1930, Page 14

LOCAL BODY TAXATION.

BETTER BASIS WANTED.

COMMITTEE TO INQUIRE. RATING URBAN FARM LANDS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, B'riday. Important decisions concerning local body taxation and the rating of urban farm lands wore reached at a meeting in Wellington to-day of the executive of tho Municipal Association. In announcing the results to the Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. P. A. de la Porrelle, tho Mayor of Feilding, Mr. C. E. Taylor, said a special committee had been appointed to investigate the question of local body taxation and revenue in New Zealand.

Tho personnel of the committee was as follows Messrs. M. F. Luckio, deputy-mayor of Wellington; G. A. Lewin, town clerk, Dunedin; P. Skoglund, town clerk, Stratford; W. J. Rogers, Mayor of Wanganui; T. Jordan, Mayor of Mastorton; J. O'Shea, city solicitor, Wellington ; and C. E. Taylor, Mayor of Feildi"g- j "Tho questions concerned in the inquiry are duo for review," said Mr. Taylor. "Wo desiro to find a system of taxation that will be fair for the wholo Dominion and for all classes of ratepayers. Tho committeo which tho executive has to-day appointed to go into tho matter' will meet from time to time in Wellington to see if it can bring forward to the association's next conferenco proposals designed to place local body taxation on a better basis." "It seems to bo a very good move," said the Minister. .

Mr. Taylor said tho executive would forward to tho Minister within a fortnight a special report setting out what legislative action it considered necessary regarding tho rating of urban farm lands. Tho association asked that the report bo given legislative effect. At tho meeting it had been- decided to urge that councils be allowed to give relief up to 40 per cent., instead of 30 per cent., as proposed originally, and that the area affected be reduced below the three acres proposed, if the local body decided by resolution to give relief. "In such cases the association is desirous of giving relief," said Mr. Taylor, "but we do not desire a full classification of our boroughs to give relief to a number of ratepayers." Another new suggestion of tho executive was that tho decisions of councils could be reviewed by a tribunal, consisting of eithor a magistrate alone or a magistrate and two assessors, whoso decision would be final. Tho Minister: Was that a unanimous decision of your conference? Mr. Taylor: Yes. And a second resolution was carried condemning the bill promoted last year. The Minister said he was glad Mr. Taylor had dealt with tho question. Some form of rating relief was absolutely essential. The representations of the conference woud receive its fullest consideration.