LOSS IN RATES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 52, 25 February 1944, Page 4

LOSS IN RATES

GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP

HEAVY PENALTY ON COUNTY

When it was explained to the Whakatane County Council last Tuesday that as a result of the Government's taking over a substantial property at Nukuhou for rehabilitation purposes, the Council was forfeiting £44 in rates annually owing to the Crown not being liabl'e to njeet rates of any description, there was genuine concern expressed l by councillors who indulged in strong criticism, and expressed the utmost concern for the fu- | ture of County revenue if such | a practice were permitted to j grow. I Cr Luxton declared that it was obvious that the Government hoped by means ,of the machinations of the Land Sales Act, to gradually undermine the freehold and make all land State-held. Cr Hunter: The only thing we've got to do is to see that the. rehabilitation scheme ensures the soldiers desiring to settle on the land being given either the title or a proper leasehold. The Council should combine with the R.S.A. ami se*': that this was done, only in this way could the Council's rates be guaranteed.! Cr McCready contended thac the only way to overcome the trend of the rehabilitation legislation appoint members on the district committees who would see that the soldiers obtained the land tenure to which they Avere entitled.

The chairman: The commit te.s should advise their applicants to insist on freehold.

Cr Smith: But even the soldiers might not be averse to taking a Government leasehold if they i'ound that they were going to be freed from the rating burden.

The clerk (Mr G. G. Lucas) pointed out that for Galatea which was Grown held, an ex gratia payment of £500 or £600 had been made, though there was nothing to prevent such a payment from being withdrawn.

Cr Luxton: The U.S.A. is still fighting for the freehold and I contend that it is a cuniTing device to force the landholder to- forfeit his freehold and make the whole country leasehold. I can't see this rehabilitation working at all—it will break down.

The meeting decided to urge the Counties' Association at the next conference to lend its, weight to fight for the freehold of land being granted to soldiers seeking to settle on the land, under the rehabilitation scheme.