RISING RATES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19334, 26 May 1937, Page 6

RISING RATES

PROTEST PROM FARMERS DEPUTATION TO COUNTY MR. SEMPLE TO PR MET The position of the ratepayers on the fiats was placed before the Cook County Conned to-day by a deputation appointed 'at the protest meeting on Monday evening at, Makaraka. The spokesman, Mr. C. V. Smith, said it appeared to the deputation that the only thing to do was to place the matter before the Government. The other members of the deputation were Messrs G. M. Reynolds, S. D. Briant, J. E. Haisman and" Harry Cooper. Mr. Smith suggested that members of (lie council should go along with the deputation to Die Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, to add weight to the deputation. Mr. Reynolds supported Mr. .Smith's suggestion, and said they should ask permission for the council to return to the riding system. It was explained that the deputation was present as a protest against the abolition of the riding system "of finance., Mr. Smith said it was* considered that the valuations were unfair. Cr. J. Tombleson asked if they had come with the idea of changing the system of rating from the improved value to the capital value, hut the deputation said they had not yet though/ that out.

Cr. Tombleson said that his recollection of the change was that it was done at the instance of the ratepayers in the Gisborne riding. Cr. P. S. Bowen said it would be better if the deputation met. Mr. Semple with a definite proposal,, and he asked for .suggestions. •Mr. Smith : Mr. Semple might be able to relieve us in some other way. Complete Derating Cr. Bowen said that Mr. Semple should lie asked for the complete derating of farm lands, for under the present position they were getting nowhere.

-Mr. S. I). Briant said he wished to make it clear that he did not favour the shouldering of the burden off on In someone else, if it could he spread over more equitably, he would support it heartily. It could be explained to Mr. Semple that roading costs in the Cook County were out of proportion with other counties, and they should ask him to take that burden'off their backs. Cr. Bowen said that if they could secure derating of farm lands, they could ask for a subsidy on general rates at fifty-fifty. Cr. M. T. B. Hall was in favour of Cr. Bowen's suggestion. Cr. J. F. Benson said the Minister could be asked if some amendment to the Act could not lie made. The county was not unanimous. He was not speaking in his own interests, as he was one of the hill men, and he considered that the hill country men were not paying their share to the general account. Cr. Hall: I am not prepared to admit that. Cr. TC. H. Baker said he thought that the abolition of ridings was a step towards the spreading out of the rales over the county in proportion. Cr. Tombleson pointed out that the deputation was really objecting to tiie large increase, in rates, and he now had taken a different view of the matter.

Dairy Farmer;; Seek Belief The dairy farmers, said Mr. Cooper, were asking for relief. They would not be able to pay a high rate as some of the farmers he bad been .in communication with were still in a serious position, lie asked what would happen if they refused to pay their rates? Cr. Baker' said he was fully in sympathy with keeping the rates down, and was sure that certain avenues could ■lie exploited if the matter was gone into. He referred to the unfortunate geographical position of the district, and t he extra costs of roading.

Mr. Smith said the position was that at his place at Waimata the rates averaged out at, 7d a sheep, and on (he flats the average was 4s a sheep. Mr. Haisman also spoke on behalf of the deputation. Or. Hall said there bad been remarks of hill country v. flats, and he protested against that, as his riding in Hangaroa was quite content. They had been relieved of a contribution to the highway, which had been declared a State highway. They were not in favour of putting their costs on to the shoulders of the men on the flats.

Cr. Tictjen said that the deputation came to the council for relief, and, to bring the matter to a head, he moved that the deputation and council should form a deputation to wait on the .Minister and ask for relief. The chairman, Cr. Charles Matthews, said ho wanted the deputation to realise that the council sympathised with its claim and was in favour of a deputation waiting on Mr. Semple. Before the demttation left, the members were told that a committee would be elected by the council to support its claims in a deputation to the Minister.