RIVER BOARD RATES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1528, 26 August 1912, Page 4

RIVER BOARD RATES.

A HAWKE'S BAY COMPLAINT. Questions of river control in HavkcV Bay aro raised in a petition from Eoberi .?1 d 1 1 , 11 £ lhore ' wll 'ch lias been, presented to tho House of Representatives >Y Mr. H. 11, Campbell. Tho petitioners aro residents , n the Hawke's tfay Rivera a fi i t owners or occupiers fiL S* i ol } J. ates nro levied by tho Hawke s May Rivers Board, Some time since tho lands of some of tlio peti. tioners were excluded from the borough) of Hustings, but these areas wero loaded with their proportion of tho then debt of ™° , borough. Subsequently, by tho Hawke s Bay Rivers Act, of 1910, theso lands wero included in tlio Rivers district created by tho Act. Petitioners stato that they pay rates to the River Board and through the County Council, to tho borough of Hastings. Tno borough is not included in the Rivers district, though; petitioners claim that it is not differently situated m so far as liability to flood is concerned trom their lands. Tho petititioners stato that thoy aro penalised iii that their lands, being free from flood, aro valued at higher valuations than they would otherwise be, mid on these vnlua, tions petitioners have' to pay tho eaino rate per J3 as is paid on land-valued at <i lower rate, because it is subject to flood; Parliament is asked to set up a commission to classify tho lands in tho Rivera ' district, eo as to tnako tho lands which receive all the benefit bear fi greater shnro of the rating burden. It is suggested that the commission should consist of tho' stipendiary magistrate at Napier, two members olccted by the ratepayers of tho Hawke's Bay Rivers District, and ono inomber representing tho Pukahu ward of that district. It is asked that tho commission may inquire into tho matters reien'ed to in tho pelition, and into tho question of the eovernnoo of tho Pukahu ward or any other portion of tho Hawko's Bay. Rivers District.' *