RATING IN LOWER HUTT

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24899, 12 June 1946, Page 5

RATING IN LOWER HUTT

QUESTIONS FOR COURT OF APPEAL (P.A.) WELLINGTON, June 11. The Court of Appeal to-day began consideration of a summons, removed for hearing from the Supreme Court at Wellington, brought by the Lower Hutt City Council to determine questions arising out of <the rating poll in Lower Hutt in September last, approving. by 1560 votes to 284, a change of the basis of rating from the unimproved value to the annual value. In October last, after the poll had been held, the city council passed a resolution that in future the rating should be on the annual value basis. Objections having been raised, the Court is now asked to determine whether the council could, by such a resolution pursuant to Section 4 of the Rating Act. 1925, validly determine that the new system should be in force as from April 1. 1946. The second question for the Court is whether in such circumstances the valuation roll prepared and transmitted to the council on or before January 15, 1946, in accordance with Sections 7 and 8 of the Rating Act is validly available for carrying the council’s resolution into effect. The Court is also asked to determine whether the requirements of the Rating Act have been complied with in respect of the publication of the result of the poll, notice of which was published over the signature of the returning officer, and not over the signature of the chairman.