MINISTER & COUNCIL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 12, 29 January 1937, Page 10

MINISTER & COUNCIL

Difference Over Crown Land Rates COUNTY'S REPLY Tbe payment of rates on Orown lauds and .tbe difierence of opjnion wbicb exists on that subject between the Minister of Lands, tbe Hon. F. Langstone, and tbe Hawke's Bay County Council has caused tbe following furtber comment to be made by Mr W. J. O'Connell, clerk of tbe council. — "The connty chairman, Mr F. B. Logan, is absent from tbe district at present, but has asked me to comment on, tbe latest statement from tbe Hon. Minister of Lands, for tbe benefit of ratepayers in tbe Hawke's Bay County. "The main point of interest to all concerned is tbe Minister's confession tbat be was quoting from tbe 1935 I handbook — i.e., for tbe year ending | March 31, 1934— wben be stated that tbe Hawke's Bay County, 'has no bank overdraft'. Tbe idea of using figures nearly three years old to iUustrate the council' s present financial position is certainly novel, but county ratepayers will readily understand wby tbe county chairman was 'staggered'. "In tbe comparison wrawn by tbe Minister between the Whakatane ahd Hawke's Bay couniW, be sets fortb tbe capital and unimproved value of eacb, so tbat it is fair to assume that be recognises valuation as an improtant factor. On tbe figures silpplied, Whakatane County is less tban one-fiftb of Hawke's Bay County, and if .tbis is taken into consideration in tbe inatter of grants, then, on tbe figures submitted, Hawke's Bay County would be a long way on tbe debit side of tbe ledgeir. But these four sets of figures require a furtber examination. — "1. Special and Penalty: Hawke's Bay £2006. Whakatane' £7866. Tbis is mo'st puzzling. Tbe figures quoted actually refer' to tbe amount of special rates and 10 per cent. penalty collected by tbe county during tbe year, and consequently are entirely foreign to tbe matter in band. I can only assume that tbe wrong set of figures bas been quoted. "2. Government Grants: Hawke's Bay £5011; Whakatane £1509. Tbe beading given to these amounts is misleading, as the figures actually refer, in the main to the rate subsidy paid to all counties and explained in tbe council's previous statement. Tbe amount of rate subsidy included in tbe above is £4375, representing a full year's payment whicb was late in being paid. So that wbile £4375 was received, the recedpt for tbe previous year was £625 only, bringing the total of tbe two years to £5000. But tbe main point is that these amounts are not ordinary Government grants, but annual payments fixed by legislation wbicb bas been in force for many years. "3. Main Higkways Grants : Hawke's Bay £19,307 ; Whakatane £6587. On the valuation basis referred to above Hawke's Bay would be entitled to approximately £35,000. Tb©re is no need to deal further witb tbe Unemployment figures, as the council's previous statement defines tbe position. "Witb reference to outstanding rates on Crown Lands, tber© is no necessity to argue the point. Tbe whole matter at issue is : 'Wben will the Crown undertake the same responsibility wbich is now sbouldered by tbe individual?' But tbe Minister's admission that 'where the outstanding rates are £677 tbe department's loss by remission in respect of tbese properties totals £9926', might start taxpayers on a new line of thought. Tbe council, however, should not be asked to become a party to a policy wbicb allows, in only a portion of one riding in one county, a loss of £9926 to the general taxpayer. Wbat must be tlie total over tbe whole of New Zealand? "Tbe Hon. Mr Barnard's remarks are most dissappointing. All I had attempted to do was to remove tbe erroneous impression that bis previous interview had nndoubtedly created in the minds of those that read tbe report, and I felt sure that wben he was aware of tbis, he would hasten to repair the misunderstanding. But so far be bas not done so."