THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 1880.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3580, 17 June 1880, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 1880.

The writer of the leader in our morning contemporary on municipal taxation, and especially witb. reference to the water vate is considerably mired—evidently not quite understanding the legislation on the subject with which he so boldly essays to cope. There is also a covert endearoi* to excite popular indignation against the Borough Council on account of the " monstrous charges" they propose to levy. It is our purpose in writing on this matter to show that the Council can pursue no other course than that «m« bodied in GV Mennie'a motion to come on tonight, the resolution indeed being

based, and indeed almost; following the diction of the 253 rd section of the Municipal Corporations Act. The portion of Cr Mennie's resolution having reference to the wafer rate is as follows:—" Also a water rate for ordinary supply and extraordinary supply be made as follows :—Upon all lands and buildings to which water is supplied whose rateable value on the Valuation 801 lof the Borough of Thames does not exceed twelve pounds ten shillings, a rate of ten shillings per annum; exceeds twelve pounds ten shillings, but . does not exceed one hundred pounds, a rate of seven per cent, on such value; exceeds one hundred pounds, but does not exceed two hundred pounds, a rate of six per cent, on such value: exceeds two hundred pounds, but does not exceed three hundred pounds, a rate of 5 per cent, on sneh value; exceeds three hundred pounds, a rate of four per cent on such value; upon all lands and buildings to which water can be but is not supplied, situate within one hundred yards of any part of the water works, a rate of one half of the rates above mentioned ; upon all buildingsused as stores and warehouses, or for any purposes other than as dwelling houses, a rate of two and a half per cent, on such rateable value, and in respect to the extraordinary water supply, such rates as may be fixed by any bye-law to be hereinafter made in that behalf, or as may be agreed upon subject to any such bye-law with any person receiving such supply; that such rates be and are respectively made for a period of one year, commencing on the Ist flay of July, 1880, and ending on the 30th June 1881." The Council are compelled to frame their action from the provision of the statute. To that they are not to blame for inflicting the " monstrous charges" Neither are we prepared to admit that the charges will be oppressive. A great stress is laid on the large amount that will have to be paid on properties valued at £200 and £300 per annum, several " monstrous" instances being

quoted; but when it is remembered that there are not more than a dozen properties in the Borough assessed at an annual valuation of over £100, we do not see how the offending provision will affect the residents of the Borough. Besides most of the properties assessed at the high valuation are manufactories, brewries, etc., and come under a special provision of the Act, which leaves the amount to be charged a matter of arrangement. We have looked through the Municipal Assessment List, and made a few comparative calculations, the result of which convinces us that in most cases ratepayers will have to pay an increase of from 2s to 5s per annum for their water: on a few it will be more, but. not to any appreciable extent. Again, according to the Act, water rates cannot- be devoted to the discharge of Municipal liabilities ; therefore the rate to be struck will not be devoted to any such purpose. Indeed, if the Council carries out its financial proposals, as contained in the published statement of proposed expenditure, £860 of Municipal money will have to be devoted to the Water Supply during the coming year. We consider tho' proposal of Cr Mennie a very fair one, and hope to see it adopted in its entirety.