RATING PROTEST

Chronicle (Levin), 14 March 1946, Page 3

RATING PROTEST

SUPPORT FOR MANGONUI The Kairanga Counly Council on Tuosday rcccived from the Mangonui Counly" Council, a brief history of the diliieulties being experienced in Ihe matter of hospital rating and the decision reached not to strike such a rale during 1944-45 and 1945-40. It was pointed out that 011 many roads requir ed to be maintained, there was practic ally 110 revenue from rat es, although the State received large sums as royai ties 011 kauri gum (£1000 per annuni on one short road alone). The vcry in equitable position of a coiiiparativ^ly feu" ratepayers who met there obiiga tions and the large mileage of roaiL maintained by the County for the bene Jit of non- ratepayers, had been Ihe sub ject of negotiations for relief over inany years. Although tlie Government had ex[)resscd sympathy and promised help, 110 practical relief was forthcom ing and the continuous increase in hos pital levies which were absorbing lialf the collectable rates, meant that insufli cient funds were available to mahitahi

roads. The position was nccentuated during the war years by military traflic and the alienatiou of valuuble iateliroducing' areas i'or (lefence purposes. In 1943-44 coiicerted action by Ihe ratepayers eulminated in a verv large deputation to Ihe Council with a unani mous (lemand that 110 rate for hospital purposes be levied and Ihe Council ac ceded to this demand. Siuce then the report of the Selecl Committee. on local government affairs had been prcsented and its fmdings siqiported the Mangonui contentions and in view of that, tlie Council strnck a hospital rate along the lines recommended in the report. However, the report of tlie Select Committee had apparentlv been side-tracked, a state of affairs wiiich local bodies must view with alarm and it might be found necessarv to present some concorfsd front if the Government failed to rcmedv the anonialies now prevailiug. The' Kairanga County Council decided to suppo rt Mangonui.