City Council Cornered

NZ Truth, 3 July 1920, Page 1

City Council Cornered

H.C.L. Is hitting the Wellington City •Council pretty heavily. In a desperate iteffort to combat a deficit at the end rtrf the financial year, the Council re■cently "decided to strike a general rate •of 8d m the A. The Corporation of jHamlin was not more amazed with the ♦demands . of the Pied Piper than was (the Wellington City Council when it ■Was told later that the 8d m the £ isffort was m excess of the maximum irate permitted by Statute. A special meeting of the Council was convened and the Mayor explained matters. The trouble'vis that the city has not been valued since 1915, and while it has grown m size since, the Council has not been able to increase its rates proportionately. The Government appears tto be to blame, for it lias delayed the nnatter by not yielding to the frequent jrepresentations of the Council to have the re-valuation gone on with. As the twsition has now grown very serious, no doubt Parliament will lift the Council out at the hole during the session. '.Tn the meantime the Council Ig becoming desperate and is considering Che facing of an inevitable deficiency by increasing the lighting rate. The lighting of the suburban portions of <the city is totally inadequate at the proBent time, and it is hard to see how the city fathers ca.n conscientiously do this? But are there not other methods by Which the Council can give a fillip to Its revenue? Car fares have been increased to those citizens who, not being possessed of wordly goods m suffi<cfency, cannot run a motor car. Why, tthen, are not the license fees paid to tthe Council by pleasure motor car 3 an4 f motor cycles increased? Cannot tbfil^douncil make these to be paid ajjntfaily, instead of as at present, ,merely at the granting of a license? /■Those fastidious folk, who prefor nursing fancy dogs to rearing families, canmot they toe made to. pay heavier tascos Jfor their pets? These are a few pointy Which the Wellington City Council and other local bodies throughout New Zealand might consider.