GOLF CLUB RATING

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1076, 13 September 1930, Page 16

GOLF CLUB RATING

ATTITUDE OF OTAHUHU BOROUGH COUNCIL Stating that the Valuer-General had refused the Otahuhu Borough Council's application last year for a revaluation, Mr. R. W. F. Wood, Town Clerk of Otahuhu, today answered the statements of an official of the Auckland Golf Club in the controversy over rating of tha Middlemore links. The club officials' views, published id The Sun yesterday, were to the effect that the additional revenue required by the Otahuhu Council could be secured by a revaluation of the borough, and by assessment of rates of property owners in the main street of Otahuhu on present-day values. The Town Clerk stated this morning that the Valuer-General had notified the council on its application last year for a revaluation that the increases in value did not w r arrant a valuation.Continuing. Mr. Wood said that even if the borough was revalued, It would not alter the principle that all properties were taxed to hear an additional rate, on account of the reduction in the Golf Club's valuation. With reference to the increases in rates in recent years, Mr. Wood said that these were largely caused by the expenditure of £48,000 on concrete roads, which benefited the Golf Club as much as any other Otahuhu ratepayer. Referring to the extra water rates, Mr. Wood said these were not rates in any form, but were charges for water actually supplied, measured by means of a meter. As a striking comparison tto the Golf Club's claim, he said that Sr. Mary’s Home. a Dominion-wide charitable institution, could only obtain exemption on four acres, while the club had, in effect, an exemption over 90 acres. When questioned regarding the claim of the club, that it would be difficult to get an outlet from their present property, Mr. Wood said land had been offered to them which would give a direct outlet to the Great South Road, but this had been refused, as the officials stated that they could obtain a property at anj' time which •would give the desired access.