RATES BURDEN

Timaru Herald, Volume CLV, Issue 22922, 19 June 1944, Page 4

RATES BURDEN

Not Equitable

Claim By Town Clerk

Pressure on Borough rates from avenues of exoenditure which do not benefit properties and whidh. he claimed, should not be a burden exclusively on ratepayers was mentioned by the Town Clerk (Mr E. A. S. Killicki in a report to a meeting of the Timaru Borough Council, when the draft estimates were discussed. Mr Killick mentioned particularly charges for hospital and library services. "The demands on the District Fund are growing,” stated Mr Killick. "and the question arises as to how many of these demands should be expected to Ire borne by the ratepayers. Rates arc. cr should lie. payments for services rendered to the properties rated, such as roads, water or drainage, but there is other expenditure which benefits properties little, if at all. and it would seem that some more equitable method to meet such expenditure should be devised. It is difficult, however, to suggest what other form of taxation should be substituted. "There being apparently no other method of local taxation than that of rating it would seem that investigations should be made into a number of our activities, which provide recreation for the public so as to ascertain whether there is any reason why such should not be fully self supporting.’’ Mr Killick added. Commenting on the draft- estimates before the meeting. Mr Killick said it would be noted that although more money was required to provide the same service as before the war it would not be possible to allocate either to the Works or to the Reserves Department the full amount asked for unless the rates were increased, or some other method of balancing the budget devised. Executive officers in charge of the departments had only placed on the estimates what they considered requisite.

“Those Who are inclined to criticise the condition of the roads or reserves should realise that a high state of polish is hardly to be expected under war conditions." he continued. "Indeed if our reserves, for instance, were to present the appearance and surface of a billiard table we should justly lay ourselves open to the implication that we are utilising men and material that should be devoted to the war effort. So long, therefore, as neither the roads nor the reserves are permitted to deteriorate to the extent which would be costly to repair, neither the engineer or the curator should be blamed for conditions resulting from their not being voted the amount they asked for.”