NO RECOMMENDATION

Southland Times, Issue 21660, 23 March 1932, Page 8

NO RECOMMENDATION

PENALTY ON OVERDUE RATES, FINANCE COMMITTEE’S REPORT. The Finance Committee reported to the City Council last evening that it had no recommendation to make regarding the suggestion that the penalty on overdue rates be deferred or modified. His Worship the Mayor (Mr John Miller) expressed regret that the committee had brought the clause forward in its existing form. He had hoped that, a recommendation would be made that the Government be approached to have the legislation amended to permit of a rebate. W hen he was attending the meeting of the Municipal Association in Wellington last week he had brought the matter up and it had been decided to make representations to Parliament. “As you will see by the papers,” concluded his Worship, "Parliament has agreed to amend the legislation as in 1930-31.” The chairman of the Finance Committee, Councillor Macalister, said that it would Ire recollected that his Worship’s suggestion at the previous meeting of the council was for a reduction of the penalty to 5 per cent, if the rates were paid within three months. The committee was faced with the fact that there was then no legislation permitting this; nor was there now any such legislation. Under the amending legislation proposed by Parliament the council would have power to remit the penalty. “But this power will have to be sparingly used,” said Councillor Macalister. “There must be a penalty or we should not get the rates in.”