BETTERMENT BILL

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 71, 20 September 1930, Page 13

BETTERMENT BILL

(T& the Editor.)

Sir,—lt is interesting to note that of all the anti-betterment correspondents that have so far ventilated their opinions in ''The Post" columns, not even one of them has dared to condemn the fundamental principle underlying the Bill. They have agreed that the Bill is possessed of the soul of public justice and equity, but because its body of detail is not up to the standard of their fancy they declare it anathema. Is the raiment of more value than the body, or the body of more importance than the soul of thiugs? Surely the details can be fitted when the principle is admitted. Why this array of forces against the Bill; instead of submitting reasons why the machinery of the proposed law should be brought into line with the soul of its principle iC they could prove that such' was out of alignment. It is now admitted in all large cities 'of the world that in the interest of the population the ' principle of the Bill now so strenuously opposed must be applied. The policy of the opponents is not constructive, but destructive, in this matter, and their pleasure lies in the total abolition of the measure. Te Aro Plat and its dead ends and slum areas, in so far as those_ minds care, must remain as a running sore upon our body politic. Had the Bill contained expropriation provisions such as ai i found in most of the Federal States of the 'German Empire selfish minds may have something to engage their indulgence; but in' this matter the law will only.-, ask of him that has received from the public purse that he give back to the public a fair assessable share of the benefits made pos/sible for him by public, betterment. In Germany, since 1875 the law has empowered municipalities to" enforce betterment charges upon property owners beuoiiting by public expenditure of money. Properly constituted boards were fixed to assess the fair share due to the community upon their expenditure. Betterment charges can be enforced in Prussia by two important provisions of the law that way well be imitated by the Bill new under distoussion. Firstly, municipalities are empowered to impose a special tax proportional to the extent of the profit gained; such tax to be in addition to the ordinary rate demand, viz., if a property before betterment was valued at i £1000, and after betterment was assessed !at £2000, the. betterment rate would be 100 .per cent., plus ordinary rate. Plans, specifications, and notification to owners are provided before any work is -undertaken. Compulsory powers are provided to expropriate the land_ in. caste of objection. The second provision is the most important, because it gives power to exact lump sum payments, or commute with property owners who are declared debtors to the community for instalment contributions. Yearly or half-yearly payments can be arranged. VVhat can be applied with success in the cities of Germany can surely be applied in Wellington. That unearned increment for the benefit of its creators must be taxed at its source is beyond question.—l am, etc.,

JOHN TUCKER,

Secretary Storemen and Packers' Uuion,