DRAINAGE RATES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17571, 23 June 1925, Page 11

DRAINAGE RATES.

METHOD OF COLLECTION. The City Council has decided to obtain a declaratory judgment from the Supreme Court on the exact position in regard to the system to be adopted for 1 lie collection of ihc Christchurch Drainage Board's rates. At. last night’s meeting of the council the By-laws and Finance Committee reported that the Drainage Board had forwarded a copy of a resolution passed by it. directing that its rates for tlio current year be collected on the system of capital -value. In the past it had been customary to collect the board’s sewerage area general rate on capital value and its other rates on unimproved value. The City Solicitor's opinion was to the effect that the board’s special annual recurring rates should be collected on unimproved value. In consequence of the board’s resolution the committee had obtained an opinion from Mr T. F. Martin, counsel to the Municipal Association of New Zealand, to the effect that special rates as well as sewerage and other general rates struck by tho Drainage Board must be levied and collected by the council on capital value, as directed by the resolution of the botird, notwithstanding the adoption of the unimproved value system of rating before The Rating Amendment Acts, 1911 and 1913, came into force. The report further recommended that a declaratory judgment he obtained on the subject from the Supreme Court. After general discussion the report was adopted.