THE HEW EATING- BILL.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2575, 8 July 1882, Page 3

THE HEW EATING- BILL.

[By TeLEGBArn.] [PROM THE “ PRESS.”] WELLINGTON, July 7. ' The following explanatory memo, is appended to the new Eating Bill, introduced by Major • Atkinson, which is just circulated. This Bill ; repeals the Bating Act of 1676 with its amendments, and imposes upon the Property Tax ' Commissioner tbe duty of famishing every local , body in the colony with the valuation roll, which shall bo in force for three years. The preparing ( of this will cost the General Government a com- ] paratively small sum, while it will relieve local < bodies of considerable expense. It will of course 1 involve tbe Property Tax l.'eparl,merit assessing and entering on its rolls all real pi operty in the ' colony, incluling that belonging to persons who i are exempt from the property tax. Bnt the department is already compelled to inquire ' the ownership of all land in the colony in > order to ascertain who are [exempt. So the extra labor occasioned by this Bill will not be so great as may be supposed, i and it will be useful for statistical and other ; purposes to have on record in the Property Tax ; Department full par.iculars of the value and ownership of every piece of real property in the ’ colony. As it is tlie Commissioner is'already ; preparing a sort of domesday book for the whole ; colony. The objection that the scheme o! the Bill will ha frustrated if the Property Tax Act should be repealed is answered by the assertion that even if the tax be repealed in its present shape it is certain that it will be replaced by the land tax, whi h will still involve the collection by a Government department of such particulars and information respecting real property as will enable thie valuation rolls to be prepared. It is of considerable importance that the valuation of property on which local taxation is levied should be uniform. This is of coarse more likely to be the case if all valuations are conducted under a central one department. Uniformity is indeed of almost more importance than accuracy as to the value, that is to say, even if the valuation , should bo a little tco high or a little too ( law it does not matter so much, provided they are all too high or all too low. However, the ‘ next valuation made under the Property Assessment Acts are likely to give general satisfaction, as being the fair selling pries of the properly Katepayers will have the protection in the first ; place of an appeal to the property tax reviewers, and in the next place in addition to, or in lieu of, appealing, they can taka advantage of the provisions of sections 11 to 16 of the Property Assessment Act of 1881, by which, if department insists upon a valuation wnich is 1 more than the owner thinks fair, he can, upon certain conditions, insist upon the Government purchasing the property at their own valuation, the Government on the other hand being protected from unfairly low estimates of the value made by the owner, by having tbe right of purchatiog it at hia own estimate, with 10 par c nt. added. Another change made by this Bill is, that the rateable value is henceforth to be the capital value of the property. This is adopted because it is thought fairer, as the annual value of all improved property bears a fair proportion to its capital value, while as to most classes of unimproved propeity the annual value is, comparatively speaking, nominal. The present system, therefore, appears unduly to favor unimproved properties, which are just the class which ought to piy most rates, as they profit by the expenditure of rates, notwithstanding all above it. It is rccogni-ed by this Bill that in some localities local bodies should make valuations themselves, therefore any local body is allowed to do so. Tho Property Tax Commisiicner is to eupp’y a roll, as in other cases, tavo that the column for rateable value is left blank, ibis will bo done in January instead of March, thus allowing February to make the valuation. Tho local body will appoint a valuer, who must give notice to each ratepayer what value to place on the property. The ratepayer has tha first fourteen da;s of March to decide whether ho will appeal, and tha Ecsident Magistrates sit on the last Monday in March to hear and decide appeals. Tha procedure is much simplified, but it is thought sufficient. Expenses are almost entirely done away with by the simplification, filiero is a provision f«r a yearly revision of j tho rolls. Tha owner, and every person with cny interest in the pr party, and al-o the fir-t mortgagees are liable from tbs fi.-st, upon tho demand being duly mode, to pay rates, though the occupier is declared to be primarily liable If tho owner is tbui nude to pay the rates, he can recover from the occupier, unless they have contracted to tho contrary, if any other person is thus made to pay rates, he can recover cither from tho occupier, always, 1 owevtr, subject to any contracts between the parties to the contrary. If a mortgagee has to pay rates, such payments are to bo deemed to bo part cf the principal moneys due on hia mortgage, and carry interest accordingly, though ho may recover at once from the occupier, owner, or mortgagor. Powers of selling cr Basing for non-payment cf rates r.ro now vested in the Public Trustee If the rates are rot paid within six months after judgment, the local body gives the Public Trustee notice, and he then is bound to inform the parties interested that unless the amount and costs, and interest at 10 per cent (instead of 15 per cent., as under tho old Act), be paid within tax mouths tho property will be solder leased. If not so paid, he can sell or lease in the same way as under tbe present Acts. The Public Trustee has no option to refuse to sell or lease, bnt if ho prefers it he may pay the rates himself, and . take the interost for bis own department, his right to sell or lease ultimately to recoup him- ; self being still preserved. Other changes relate , chiefly to minor details, and in many cases me mainly verbal.