LOWER HUTT RATING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26176, 12 June 1946, Page 6

LOWER HUTT RATING

CHANGES IN PRESENT BASIS

QUESTIONS FOR APPEAL COURT

(P A ) WELLINGTON, June 11. The Court of Appeal to-day commenced consideration of a summons removed for hearing from the Supreme Court at Wellington, brought by the Lower Hutt City Council to determine questions arising out of a rating poll in Lower Hutt in September last approving, by 1560 votes to 284, .a change of the basis of rating from unimproved value to annual value. ' In October last, after the poll was held, the City Council passed a resolution that in future the rating should be on an annual value basis. Objections having been raised, the- court is now asked to determine whether the council could by such resolution pursuant to Section 4 of the Rating Act, 1925, validly determine that the new system should be in force as from April 1, 1946. A second question for the court is whether, in such circumstances, the valuation roll prepared and transmitted to the council on or before June 15, 1946 in accordance with Sections 7 and 8 of the Rating Act, is validly available for carrying the council’s resolution into effect. The court is also asked to determine whether the requirements of the Rating Act have been 'ompiled within respect of the publication of the result of the poll, notice of which was published over the signature of the returning officer and not over the signature of the chairman. The case was unfinished when the court rose, for the day.