RATING IN NORTH-EAST VALLEY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13468, 16 December 1905, Page 8

RATING IN NORTH-EAST VALLEY.

MEETING OF PINE HILL SETTLERS. Another mooting of settlors was hold in tho Pino Hill School on Thursday evening for tho purpose o£ considering matters,connected with rating in the Borough of North-East Valley. Thero were only half a dozen sel tiers present, and Mr G. W. Oarrington (schoolmaster) was voted to tho chair.

Mr Duncan (Mayor of North-East Valley), after remarking how hard tho rating on unimproved values was pressing on thoso engaged in Hie dairying industry, said that there was a great disparity between tho valuations for rating of the outer and inner areas, and although tho capital value of the inner area of the North-Enst Valley had Iremondously increased lately, thero would bo hardly any increase in the unimproved or rateable value. As to the proposal to have tho outer area added to Waikouaiti County, he estimated that if that were clone, they, as ratepayers o£ a seventh riding, would have to contribute £510 a year to the County Council, and iliey would not have strong representation (only ono member) on ihat. body. Should they decide to form themselves into a separato town board, their position would not be much, if any, better. Should they decide, however, that tho present NorthEast Valley Borough l)o divided into two wards, they would have ihreo councillors representing their ward, and his estimate was that there would be a reduction of Id on the present rating of 2jjd in the ponnd on the unimproved value of their land. Their thrco members would be able to put. tho brake on the rather too advanced ideas of the ultra-progressive councillors at present on the council.

Mr G. Kegel's stated that his rates had gone up from 30s to £4 12s 8d a. year under the new system. He did not think that tho li in the pound was worth lighting for. Ho also objected to [laying 9s 6d a year lo the Drainage Board as a drainage rate, us the drainago from his land went naturally into the Lcitli, and had nothing to do with the Drainage Board. He contended that tho system of valuation for rating on unimproved values was all wrong. No allowance was made for improvements, even when land was cleared at a cost, of up to £15 an acre.

Mr Duncan explained that tho remission of Jd in the pound would mean a total annual reduction of £75 or so in tho rates paid by residents in the outer area. Mr Rogers said that was not enough by any moans to afford relief. Rates had been lessened for wealthy residents of NorthEast. Valley Borough, while poor men slaving or a living had had their rating trebled. It was daylight robbery, and nothing else. The Chairman asked if there was no possibility of the rales being reduced to what they wore under the old system.

Mr Duncan said that the outer area had got off lightly under the old system, for which they had to thank himscif and Mr Isaac Green as councillors in former times. He could hold out no hope of a reversion to the old rates.

Several settlers expressed tho opinion that they_ would be better off if they joined Waikouaiti County, and one expressed bis sorrow that he had paid his rates this year, saying, Ihat he'would not pay them next year. "Let them summon me for them," ho added.

In reply to questions, Mr Duncan said that, the unimproved values system of rating had come in for Ihreo years at least, of which there were still two to run. Since the abolition of tho ward system in NorthEast Valley the outlying districts could not get the representation in tho Borough Council - that-they once had.

There was some difficulty about getting a resolution moved, but at length Mr G. Rogers moved and Mr T. Murphy seconded — "TJiat. the outer area ratepayers should present a petition to Parliament, expressing dissatisfaction with the present system of rating, and asking for relief.":—This was carried unanimously,, but Mr Duncan remarked with some disgust that Parliament would only put such a petition in the waste panor basket. , The meeting then ended.