SYSTEM OF RATING.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17501, 7 September 1928, Page 6

SYSTEM OF RATING.

FARM LAND IN BOROUGH. A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION. \ STATEMENT BY MINISTER. ; (By Telegraph—Press WELLINGTON, Thursday. The report of the commissions appointed to report on rating of farm lands within boroughs was presented to the House of Representatives by the Minister of Lands, Hon. A. D. McLeod, this evening. In a subsequent statement the Minister said the Government had been paying particular attention recently to the heavy rating liabilities of farmers in small boroughs, and those who, although their properties were now excluded, were still having to pay a big annual special rate bill. The problem had been investigated by two -commissions, one having particular reference to the borough of Otaki, and the other being of more general application. Important Evidence Taken. Much evidence of an important nature was heard by the second commission from witnesses who had from various angles given considerable thought to the vexed question of rating, and after careful inquiry the commission furnished a report which, broadly, recommended the adoption of the principle of classification in those boroughs which have farm lands in them. “I do not propose to go into details concerning the recommendations contained in this report, as legislation on the subject will be brought down later in the session,” said the Minister. “I would, however, like to say the commission, in recommending the universal principle of classification, -has adopted the same three . classes as in Otaki, namely: Glass A, building land, that is, land suitable for building purposes and having a frontage to a road or street; Class B, potential building land, that is, land having potential building value and other than land included in Glass A; Class €, farm lands, that is, land used for farm purposes and not suitable for building purposes. “I would like to make it clear that the adoption of the report will not mean the automatic classifying of all boroughs. It will be quite apparent, without my stating any particular cases, that there are some boroughs which do not contain farm' lands in which classification would not be practicable. The commission has stressed the fact that before classification is applied careful inqurv in the case of each particular borough concerned s'hduld he made, and- it has recommended procedure to this end. Scheme of Classification. “Generally, the -scheme of the report for adopting classification is as follows: —(1) A petition for classification from any farmer in the borough; (2) -inquiry to establish a prima facie-case; (3) appointment of classifiers with the powers of v a commission under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1908, to hold an inquiry and classify into the -classes which I have mentioned (this involves also the fixing, of the proportion of rates to he paid by lands in each class) ; (4) facilities for the deposit and inspection of the classification list; (5) provision for objection by aggrieved persons or by the borough council concerned; (6) provision for classifiers to hear objections, if any, and to amend the classification list if thought necessary after this classification list is signed by the classifiers and becomes -operative on the following ther provision is made for amending the classification list, but to provide for some stability in the incidence of rating it is -recomrriended that the reclassification should -not take place within a period -of five years. “I would like to stress that the investigations into this difficult question have 'been conducted in a very thorough and impartial manner, and the evidence submitted makes it abuncl antly clear that under existing conditions farmers in boroughs are not receiving a fair return for the amount paid by them by way of rates. Hron» regard to the use they make of the lands and the impossibility of taking advantage of borough services th are paying more by way of rates than is justified.”