LIABILITY FOR RATES

Taranaki Daily News, 29 August 1930, Page 13

LIABILITY FOR RATES

LAND MORTGAGED TO CROWN. AUCKLAND BODIES INTERESTED. Advantage is to bo taken by rating authorities in Auckland of the decision of Mr. Justice Blair that a local rating authority could exercise its powers of sale for the recovery of overdue rates on land mortgaged to the Crown. The ruling applies particularly to local bodies controlling rural areas and as sue the Waitemata County Council and the Manukau County Council are particularly interested. Both these bodies, particularly the former, have eases similar to the on© which formed the basis of the test case. It is the intention of these bodies to apply to the registrar of the Supreme Court for permission to sell land mortgaged to tho Crown on which rates have

not be.n paid. "The decision is of great important to local bodies throughout New Zealand,” said Mr. E. Ashcroft, clerk of the Manukau County Council. "It lias cleared tho air considerably and we now know where we stand.” He said tlrt the position had been that the Crown refused to pay rates where a property was abandoned and the registrar would refuse to sell owing to the Crown holding a mortgage.