LOCAL BODIES' PINANCK.

Southland Times, Issue 19117, 6 August 1903, Page 2

LOCAL BODIES' PINANCK.

. » - As reported in yesterday 'a issue the Counties Act Amendment Bill passed its third reading in the House of Representatives, and in the" previous week the Road and Town Districts Rating Act becaane law. The object of both measures is to increase the rating powers of local bodies. Apparently the spread of settlement and the consequent demaind for improvements have rendered the revenue derived from existing rajtes inadequate. Not infrequently in local experience petitions for facilities of communication that were admitted to be necessary have been refused on the ground of want of funds. It is. not desirable that the rating powers of local bodies should be restricted to such an extent that the progress of the districts under their control is hampered, and the two bills introduced by the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon will have the effect of enabling road boards, town iboards. and county councils to increase revenue largely from rates. The Road and Town Districts Rating Act increases the amount that road boards and town boards ai*e empowered to levy by way' of rates to ljd in the £ on the capital value of the ratable property, or its equivalent on the unimproved value, and repeals section 117 of the Road Boards Act of 1882, by which the aggregate amount of rates which these bodies were entitled to make and levy was restricted to Jd in the £. The Counties ,Act Amendment Bill enacts that notwithstanding anything in the principal Act, the maximum general rate that may be made and levied in any year shall be (a) in outlying districts a rate of 3d in the £, on the capital value of the ratable property, or its equivalent on the unimproved value ; and (b) in all other parts of the county a rate of ljd in the £ on such capital value or its equivalent as aforesaid ; and consequently section 148, which fixed the maximum of all rates in the counties where there a,re road or town districts at $d, and in counties where there are no such districts at ljd, is repealed. The necessary alterations a.re also made in section 119 of the principal Aqt. It was pointed out in committee by Mr \V. Fraser that the use of so vague a phrase as " outlying . districts " might occasion confusion, and Mr Seddon undertook to consult the Crown Law officers about Substituting some term more susceptible of definition.' Unless the wording is made clearer the limits within which tho rates imposed take effect will not be easily iixed. Mr Alison, it may be noted, moved in tho direction of reducing the maximum rate for cutlying districts from 3d to 2d ; but, Mr Seddon opposing, he was defeated, and the county councils will be in possession of very much extended powers when next they consider the matter of imposing rates.