RATES IN WAITOMO.

Waipa Post, Volume XIX, Issue 1103, 9 June 1921, Page 2

RATES IN WAITOMO.

DISCUSSED BY COUNTY COUNCIL. BASIS OF LEVY FIXED. At the last meeting of the Waitomo County Council Cr. Hargeaves the notice of motion standing in his name: "That a levy of l|d in the £ be made for the general rate of 1921-22." He said bearing in mind his own riding he could not agree to a reduction of the rate seeing' that while they had to reduce certain expenditure they had to keep maintenance work going, and bearing in mind the big debit balances against each riding he could not see any chance of a reduction in the rates being made. The rate proposed (lid) was the same as last year and meant 11-8 d general andl-Sd hospital. He had his own riding in his mind when he. said that conscientiously he could not countenance a reduction and he felt sure that other councillors would realize that a reduction of the rates was impossible. Cr. Wall seconded the motion.

Cr. Wilson said he was sorry but he could not see. his way to support the motion. They had to face a condition of things that called ' for extreme economy on the part of the ratepayers and they had to help them in their trouble. He moved an amendment that the general rate be Id in the £ and l-8d hospital rate. He did not think; it fair to the ratepayers to keep the rates up—they had to do what they could to assist them.

Cr, Were supported the amendment saying that as they had not been able to collect their last year rates they could not expect to be more successful this year under existing circumstances.

Cr. Wall speaking to the motion said they must remember ,that if the, position was hard on the ratepayers it was equally hard on the Council. They were there to conduct the Council's business on business lines. In lean times the ratepayers looked to the Council to take no more money from them than necessary. He however agreed with Cr. Hargreaves and could not see how they could reduce the rate. Their financial position would have been sound if the ratepayers had paid their rates but the> had not. Of course some could not pay, but that fact did not reduce their overdraft and it was eating up their revenue. They had certain commitments with the Public Works Department, but they had had to spend money before they got these commitments, which were always slow, in coming to hand. Looking at all the adjustments used they were correct, but still they did not solve the difficulties of ensuring a revenue sufficient to carry on. Cr. Wynyard said he did not think the mover and seconded of the amendment suggested a reduction of maintenance which even they had said must be kept up. He thought they would be laying themselves open to a charge of carelessness if they agread to a reduction of the rates. If they were to study finance with any degree of care, he could not see how the rate could be reduced and he could not see how he could support the amendment. Cr Potts said he thought that what maintenance was required in his riding was of small amount and he thought Id in the £ would be sufficient for his riding. Each riding could say what amount should be collected from it. Cr. Lee said he could not conscientiously support a reduction of the rate seeing the overdraft his riding carried. He would support the motion so that the rate should remain the same as last year. Cr. Hargeaves thought Cr. Wilson' could not realize that the main road at least had 1 to be maintained. It was a very unpleasant thing to have to refuse to reduce the rate but he could not see how it could be done. After further discussion the amendment was put and lost and the motion declared carried.

On the motion of Cr. Wynyard it was decided that notice be given that the Council intends levying the following differential Irate within the Kio Rio drainage area—2|d in the £ on capital value of all lands classed A, Jd in the £ on lands classified IJ and 5-8 din £ on lands classified C. The rates are to be levied for the purpose of paying expenses in connection with- the proposed Kio Kio drainage loan.