A LOWER MAXIMUM

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17237, 17 April 1930, Page 9

A LOWER MAXIMUM

COUNTY RATING PROBLEM SHOULD NOT BE OVER 2D. That a-lower maximum should bo fixed for county rates was a proposal made at the Cook County Council’s meeting yesterday afternoon. Cr. P. >S. Bowen referred to the ever-increasing rates, and he maintained that there should be some limit fixed' by law. Some counties in the South Island had very low rates, some being down to ljd or Id in the £. The chairman, Cr. Chas. Matthews: There is a limit now. Cr. Bowen said that the limit, -too. had been going up and it was now too high. The North Island counties were inequitably rated, and were twice and three times as high with the rates as in the South Island. One subject to be thrashed out at the Counties’ Conference should be the fixing of a smaller limit for county rates, the country generally to find the remainder for the upkeep of the roads. With the present" low prices of produce and the increasing rates many ratepayers would be forced off their land it’ something were not done. He moved a remit that county rating should be not more than 2d in the £ on the capital value. “The time is coming.” he added, “when the burden will be taken off the land and planted somewhere else.” The chairman said that a remit had gone forward already urging the raising of the petrol tax for the upkeep of highways. Cr. W. G. Maclaurin favored Cr. Bowen’s proposed remit, which would tend to alter the whole system of rating. Cr.' Witters thought both proposals were aiming at the ,-nme object and if Cr. Bowen’s proposal went forward (here should be no necessity for the other. “I quite sympathise with him,” added Cr. Witters, “we are too heavily taxed.”

The county clerk, Mr. F. T. Robinson, said that no riding in the Cook Countv had yet been rated at an equivalent of 3d in the £ on the capital value. Cr. Bowen, giving some idea of the increases, said that his county rates had increased enormously during the past 20 years, taking his owii rates as a guide. , , The chairman: Ycu have the limit in your own hands, and you can keep the rates down if you wish. Cr. Bowen said it was not the ratepayers who were wearing out tho roads, for the traffic on the roads was 20 outside vehicles to one ratepayer. Cr. Maclaurin: The motorists are paying a certain amount now. (Jr. Bowen: But they should pay

more. The matter was deferred till tho next meeting.