Rates

Press, Issue 31095, 25 June 1966, Page 14

Rates

Sir, —In your leading article you state that the council had no alternative to increasing the rates this year when faced with a rising wage bill. This becomes rather monotonous when it goes on year after year and ratepayers now are looking for some relief, especially those elderly people on fixed incomes and pensioners. As you state, a citizens tax suggested to the Government has been turned down and the Government is not in a position to hefp, so the only way out is for councils to get loans at a cheaper rate from the Reserve Bank. Mr Kirk said this could be done through the Loans Board, thereby reducing their interest accounts and thus being able to reduce their rate demands.—Yours, etc., S. W. HICKMOTT. June 23, 1966.

Sir, —We could have expected a spate of correspondence in your columns in connexion with the City Council rates increase but the ratepayers appear to be unperturbed. How apathetic can we become in these matters? Is anything being done about a citizens tax? The M.E.D. is buttering up the consumers in preparation .for an increase and the Drainage Board will, no doubt, spring some unpleasant surprises. Is no rate concession being made to the age beneficiaries and those on widow’s benefit who are living alone? Many of these folk have put their life savings into purchasing the homes for which they now pay rates amounting to almost a rent. The payments for rates, electrcity. fuel, radio and television licences, car registration and sundry insurances are just the same for one person

as for two. Could not some relief be granted to these people?—Yours, etc., PRESTO. June 24, 1966.