LOWER GENERAL RATE

Chronicle (Levin), 16 July 1946, Page 4

LOWER GENERAL RATE

Hospital Levy Skyrockets BOROUGH RATES FIXEP Ifcates totalling ls in the £1, equivfiient to £5 per £100 on thennimproved valuatiQn were decided upon at a special meeting of the Levip Eforough Councii last night. This represents an increase of 1.2d. in the £1 on last year, when the total was 10.8d. „ The general rate shows a decrease ' from 7.64. to 7.1d in the £1, but the water rate has been increased froih 1.54. to 2,24. in the £1, an overall increase Qf .?d. as far as the borough is concerned., The hospital rate has risen in alarming manner from 1.4d. to 2.4d. in Ihe £1.

For the year ending March 31, 1947, the borough's estimated revenue in the general accouni is £8557, 7 while the expenditure is estimated at £17,693, an excess of £9136 of expenditure over revenue. After the deduction of a credit balance of £686, a sum of £8450 remains to be found from general rates. An additional sum of £2372 is required for the water supply undertaking, the increase making provision for the purchase of a new truck. The councii is called on to lind £394 for the Manawatu Catchment Board and £2965 for the Palmerston North Hospital Board, the latter an increase of £1353 on last year. It is proposed to meet this expenditure by the levying of the following rates, those for last year being given in parenthesis in each case: — General rate: A levy of 7.1d (7.6d) in the £. Water rate: A levy of 2.2d (1.5d) in the £. . Hospital levy: A rate of 2.4d (1.4d) in the £. Catchment board rate: A levy of 0.3d (0.3d) in the £. Sanitation fee: A rate of £2 5s (£2 5s ) per pan per annum. _ ' The rate demands will be issued on September 1, and it was decided to allow a discount of five per cent. of the amount of the general rate on all rates paid within 30 days from that date.