CITY RATES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1252, 7 October 1911, Page 14

CITY RATES.

Sir.-lor some time past the Wellington City Council has been collecting its halfyearly rates six months before duo dates. I desiro to ask you, as editor of our esteemed newspaper, a newspaper I have subscribed to from its iirst issue, on behalf of a largo number of ratepayers, if the Wellington City Council has power to suo and recover from tho long-suffer-ing ratepayers rates six months before they arc due. If so, would you kindly quote tho particular section of tho Municipal Corporations Act with which the council is given such power.—l am, etc HATEPAVER, [Rates are by tho law deemed to be due at tho beginning of the period for which they aro. levied, and they are due and payable fourteen days after uotice has boon scryed upon tho ratepayer by tho local authority. It may be mentioned that Wellington is the only city in New Zealand where ratepayers arc permitted to pay their Tates in half-yearly instalments; in all tho other centres tho rates for tho whole year must be paid in one sum. Tho section of the Kating Act which gives tho City Council power to sue for unpaid rates is as follows:—"If any person fails for fourteen days after demand thereof to pay any rate for which ho is liable, the local authority may recover the same as a debt in any court of competent jurisdiction."l •