HEAVY RATING LOSS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 996, 12 June 1930, Page 13

HEAVY RATING LOSS

DEVONPORT LAND TAKEN FOR DEFENCE WORK COUNCIL TO STATE CASE ‘•I believe that the Dcvonport Borough Council can offer Cabinet advice that will help it to overcome portion of its financial difficulties," stated Mr. J. Hislop, Deputy-Mayor of Devonport, at the council meeting last evening. "The State could not sell the land used for a military camp at Narrow Neck and raise a considerable sura in cash,” Mr. Hislop said. "The area is no longer suited for camp purposes and I really believe that the Devonport ratepayers would sanction the purchase of the area by the council. There no doubt that, should the Government put the land up for sale, it would be snapped up immediately." Mr. Hislop described Devonport as the "spearhead of the defence system of New Zealand.” and that one-tenth of its area was used for defence purposes. Practically no consideration was given the borough for the loss of rate revenue it suffered by being sacrificed for the whole of the Dominion. The unimproved value of land used fo 1 * defence purposes was £132.000 and the Narrow Neck camp area alone would return £3.000 a year in rates. Sir Joseph Ward, realising the urgenev of the question, had promised to visit Devonport, hut ill-health had prevented his doing so. The Borough Council would be failing in its duty If it did not take the question up with the new Minister of Defence. It was resolved to place the question before Cabinet immediately. •