BOOST RICCARTON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17881, 24 June 1926, Page 4

BOOST RICCARTON.

To the Editor. Sir,—l, in turn, was highly amused at " Hagley Street’s ” little bombshell in Tuesday’s “ Star. ’ Jf this gentleman had gone just a little further into the question of rating, instead of rushing into print with very stale figures, he would have found that he is quite a step away* from being correct. For further information on the subject, I would refer him to the “ Local Authorities’ Handbook, 1926,” which will tell “Hagley Street” quite a different tale. It will be seen that the “ much vaunted borough's” general rate includes two rates each of 2d in the pound (as well as the ordinary general rate) for fire protection and street lighting. thus making the true general rate 3id in the pound. The publication referred to above shows that, instead of only nine boroughs striking a higher rate than Riccarton, there are at least thirty-one. These are: Dargaville, 4 7-lld; Taumarunui, 4id; Paeroa, 32d; Thames, sid : Woodville, sd; Inglewood. 4d; Stratford, 4d: Ohakune, 6d; Raetihi, 4id; Marton, 4£d; Foxton, 4id: Pahiatua, 6d: Eketahuna. 6£d; Masterton, 4id: Carterton, 3 7-10 d; Featherstone, 7*d; Petone, 3 21-32 d; Eastbourne, 40d; Runanga, B*d; Grevmouth, 4fd; Hokitika, 6*d ; New Brighton, 4d: Geraldine, s*kl; Waimate, 53d; VVest Harbour, 4d; St Kilda, sd; MosKiel, 3ld; Balclutha, old; Gore, 3 5-6rl; Mataura, 4£d; and Bluff, sd. I hope that these figures will assuage the pain which “ Hagley Street ” felt when he wrote his letter, and that in future he will bear in mind that it is as well to have fresh statistics to quote from when writing to newspapers.—Thanking y*ou for valuable space, I am etc RICCARTON BOOST."