WATER RATE

Southland Times, Issue 25309, 12 June 1935, Page 11

WATER RATE

TOWN CLERK’S REPORT.

“The cost of sewerage and street lighting will be met this year from the general account instead of levying separate rates on the unimproved value. You will understand that the general rate is on the unimproved value,” reported the Town Clerk to the City Council last evening. “The water rate will have to be levied on the annual value instead of the unimproved value as in the past, and provision is made upon the estimates accordingly. I may say that the money required for lighting and sewerage could, if the council desired, be levied as separate rates, but it would have to be on the annual value. If this were done, I consider that a separate rate should be levied for the hospital levy, also on the annual value instead of paying it from general rate as at present. “This would somewhat alter the incidence of rating, but would give the council a certain amount of buoyancy in revenue as new buildings are erected, which is not the case at the present time, even although new buildings bring us extra liability in our contribution to the Hospital Board. Such alteration would increase the work in the compilation of rate books and issue of demands, but this I consider can be overcome without extra expense, and in my opinion would be quite worth whilq in view of the gain to the council.

“I may say that these suggestions are based upon the result of a very exhaustive search of your rating system, which it was recently necessary for me to make, going back to the time when rating on unimproved value was carried at a poll in 1901.” The suggestion was adopted.