RATING ON UNIMPROVED VALUES

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXII, Issue 7283, 24 October 1925, Page 2

RATING ON UNIMPROVED VALUES

Sir, —Your correspondent “Ratepayer ” says those advocating this method of rating are people with big incomes and big houses. 11 is not a question of incomes. Wo have no municipal income lax which would be unjust. Ho contends that the rich would pay less and the poor would pay more. This does not tally with the attitude of the rich, who from the first

have vigorously opposed this system of rating , “ Ratepayer ” also claims that the present rating on value of promises is fair. Railway travellers, when buying their tickets, are not charged on their income but pay according to value received. So it is with rating on unimproved values. Each would pay according to the value enjoyod. “Ratepayer” advises the workers to oppose this new method of rating, yet it lias been adopted in places for over 30 years by upwards of: 200 local bodies, and has proved a success. I ask “Ratepayer” which should be encouraged most, the man who builds and improves his land or the man who holds his land idle knowing that with increasing population, etc,, his land will increase in value. Apparently your correspondent does not understand this question ; still, his letter is a valuable contribution on this question.—l am, etc,, Thomas Oarless.