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Hokitika Guardian, 15 September 1922, Page 2

Arising out of the new valuation the question of rating on unimproved value is sure to crop up. This is a matter for the ratepayers as a body to move ill by petition—that is, if the Council does not take the initiative on its own action. If a petition hearing a sufficient number of names is received by the Council a poll on the question is hold automatically. It remains to ho seen how the new valuation applies equitably as to the merits of rating on unimproved value. No greater nor les. ser amount of revenue may be received by the local body by the change of incidence. Any alteration is distributed over the individual ratepayers. The Council receives in the aggregate the same amount of rates as heretofore. For instance if £7,000 of rates are received now under the rating on capital value, the receipts under rating on unimproved value is so adjusted at so much per pound, to yield a similar total of rates. Enquiry has elicited the information that the capital unimproved value of general property (that of mining property is not available) has increased under the new valuation by about one hundred thousand pounds, and stands roughly at £450,000 as against £775,000 capital value. The capital value at a fwo pence per Found rate yields in the region of £6,500 rates. To produce the same return on unimproved value rating, a rate of threepence and a half penny would need to be struck over the £460,000 worth of property. Ratepayers who have their valuation notices by them could work out for themselves what the change in the incidence of taxation would mean. If they calculate the capital value at 2d per pound they arrive at the general struck over their property, Tf t.lioy calculate at, 35 per pound on thp unimproved value, thoy would arrive n't t' l '’’ alternation

rate they would lie called upon to pay. The figures, it was impressed up- < on us, were approximate only, but they would give the results ns nearly as 1 could be ascertained without Spending 1 several days in checking figures to arrive at tlie exact difference. Rating on , unimproved values is coming more anc more into vogue all over the Dominion, and under certain conditions it lias its merits, but there are special conditions in Westland to bo considered, and these matters require to he fully weighed. However the issue rests with the ratepayers ns a whole when called upon to east their votes and meantime they would do well to study the position individually and collectively. I It was mentioned at the County meeting'this week that the limitation of loading passing over several bridges Oil the main south road to five toils, Vvat a. sCrious matter effecting the development of tho district. There is no doubt this is so. With the use of lorries so . much in vogue, the limitation means i that the vehicles in question may not carry any load of any size, for the reason that most of the machines alone are in the region of four or more tons in weight. Tho restriction to the traffic will operate adversely to tho interests of the dairy factories and to sawmillifig, apart from the effect on individuals Who have to obtain their goods by means of motor transport. The Iran- j sit of lamb and sheep can he done ( very economically by lorry from the I distant settlements and if this trans- . port is stopped by the limitation of tho loading, the loss to the settlers in. dividually will be of moment. The main south road is in charge of the Public Works Devnrtinent, and that . branch of the public service has as much right to attend to tho main south road ns to any other main road in the Dominion. There should he an insistent demand from the south people to the government to take up the question of strengthening the bridges so as to permit of lorry traffic tinder a reasonable load. The fact that it few 1 days ago a motor lorry crashed through ; a substantial looking structure like ' Duffer’s Creek bridge points to the ; urgency for attention for the sake of humanity. In the late accident it was fortunate there \Va s no loss of life, but it is conceivable that in crossing some of the deep creeks which are spanned hv bridges of long-standing, a fatality might occur at any moment which would he a very sharp lesson to those responsible for the upkeep of the main road. In most cases the small bridges which are complained of were built prior to the advent of heavy, speedy 1 motor traffic. The structures were hot ! designed for traffic of the nature men- ! tioned. That fact emphasises the necessity for immediate attention to the bridges iii question, so that the possii bility of accidents resulting may lie removed once and for all. The matter is really one of the most important affecting the welfare of the south district in particular, and the strongest representations should he made on the J matter to the powers that he.