WATER METERS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 135, 4 December 1929, Page 13

WATER METERS

A STRONG- OPPONENT

BLOW AT RATING SYSTEM

Strong-opposition to the proposal to substitute meter payment for a water rate in respect to the ordinary supply of water.i,rthe City.of Wellington was voiced to-day by Mr. P. J. O'llegan. The article in "The Post" on tho subject he characterised as a clever bit of propaganda for the partial repeal of rating on unimproved value, its object being plainly to abolish the water rate altogether and to substitute a system of payment, by. meter. "The writer, however, is unable to disguise the tact" said Mr. O'Eegan, "that such a sjstem would mean tho complete release of vacant land from maintaining tho ordinary water supply. In othe ? words the meter system would be es<Mnnnnn f Voß^ °f nOt I(2SS than £100,000 to relieve the idle lands at the expense of people who have erected

It had to be borne in mind Mr O -Regan went on to point out, that Wellington was unique in the fact that it was the only large city in which all rates arc levied on the unimproved value. Tins system was in operation as far back at 1901, but applied only to tho general rate and library rate ahe result of the 1927 poll altered that! and this year a gross rate revenue estimated at £500,116, will be derived from rating on unimproved value. 'I quite agree that certain people as the writer of tho article says uiav ieel somewhat sore on tho subject " continued Mr. O'Regan; "they, bciirnunable to defeat the present system by a frontal attack, will use every means to impair its efficiency. Those of us who sco through their game of trying to discredit the water rate and to substitute m its place a meter system may be relied upon to keep the public informed as to the true aspect of affairs. We will endeavour to prevent, if we possibly can, the 'gambling in the people's land, and we will not allow an _ increase in the burden of the majority of ratepayers, a majority who are certainly improvers." It was pointed out that legislation I would have to be effected to bring about a change back to the meter system. "Any efforts in this direction we shall strongly oppose, and we invite all friends of the system of rating on unimproved value, and presumably we can rely upon Labour members and those who- profess to bo Liberals, to watch very closely any attempt made in the direction of amending the legislation in respect, to rating. We intend to continue to make representations to [the Government that the water rate should bo brought into line with other rates, and we shall oppose strongly any attempt to install meters for the ordinary supply of such a prime necessity as water. It must be borne in mind that it is the ordinary supply with which wo are concerned, any extraordinary water-supply already being paid for by meter. Tho water rate, like- any other rate, must bo a flat rate, giving relief to tho improver and putting a corresponding penalty on the evil of idle lands."