EGMONT COUNTY RATES

Taranaki Daily News, 16 February 1933, Page 7

EGMONT COUNTY RATES

£lO,BOO STILL OUTSTANDING. 10% PENALTY TO BE IMPOSED. Tt was decided by the Egmont County Council on Tuesday to impose a penalty of 10 per cent, on all rates outstanding after a certain date. The clerk pointed out that after paying all accounts the overdraft would be £9600. There was nearly £lO,OOO of this year’s rates still outstanding, and a lot of the previous year’s rates as well. He said there was a lot of money that one would think should be paid, but he could not collect it There were many cases where a State department was mortgagee and was not responsible for payment. They could only put a charging order on the land but could not get the money in such cases. The position was serious. At March 31 last year the overdraft was only about £2OOO. If they did not collect the rates they would not have much borrowing power next year. Cr. Tosland; If we let this go on long and prices do not improve people will Say they cannot pay. TiZy should pay or make arrangements, The clerk explained that non-payment was not due to lack of pushing. He had in many cases taken judgments, but that was as far as he could go. Many of the settlers had hypothecated their milk cheques to stock companies, and in other cases the Crown was mortgagee. The chairman, Cr. W. C. Green, said there were many ratepayers who had not carried out last year’s obligations and had this year’s rates on top of them as well. If those who could pay did not come forward and pay they would have to “sue the whole lot.” He would like to see the rates reduced, but there were so many bad debts. The clerk said that last year the council was £l2OO overdrawn and the previous year it was in credit. It would have to impose the 10 per cent, penalty. Cr. Gibson said it was time to bring Government departments under the ordinary mortgagee liability of the common law.