ANOMALOUS RATES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18959, 4 January 1930, Page 8

ANOMALOUS RATES.

To the Editor. Dear Sir,—Having recently purchased a section in Spreydon, I have been wondering ever since as to why the rates down there should be so high as compared with the rates paid in other parts of the city. On making inquiry I find that the ra{es are levied not so much on the area of the section, but rather on the amount of road space which the land takes up. ' This seems quite a fair arrangement, as after all the amount collected in rates is mostly all expend ed on road maintenance. My section forms part of a subdivision of three chains, or 198 feet, but on account of an antiquated by-law which fixed the minimum frontage at 50 feet, the subdividor, finding himself 2 feet short, could only get three sec tions instead of four. I am thus saddled with a chain section, the rates on which are a few shillings under £ls. I find I cannot sell the place, as all likely buyers are looking for smaller sections which they can keep tidy without employing outside labour. No one, of course, these times would tolerate the old 33 feet section, as one this frontage does not permit of sufficient driveway for the motor while at the same time it necessitates the erection of a brick wall, which is too costly, and which also fails to har monise _with bungalow design. The idea] section, to my mind, is °f 24 perches, with a frontage of 15 feet, and if our by-law was altered to conform with that of the city, the above area and frontage would be the most popular with the average person n Spreydon.—l am, etc., UNIFORM