WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 March 1923, Page 4

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

! '!'!!!•’ \H!'i{K!r-' !? !•' Pt )t!T !I I" H Vl’- ; !>■',: ON l '.''M V!) VA! TVS. ! i Vi-tI. IIK'H. A I Iflirt h:i luvli i ail- il . I • 1 1" '■ V : I i! n, ! 11l ill • | ;■ ri:; i11:•_*!11 fi nviiri! in r-jitird : im, iinim ;u of .-il val.i.-. ami , n ; ij.|.;-,n;i j < ;i) • In, ill" I‘fi'i i t ■ i<i I In' lininir: - nl' tlii- ('1 1: 1 u i- i I. ! (I I A I r * i'll- in:;:: nor of ivarkiii^. . i"l i-Ifi*i t i n ;\-ilt |i:iyri •. | J'-i■ •r• t!. ;i|i:i •; v. i!: tin- lwo n>j is !■• !:li i.. :i lym r;il vl;11 ■ • Jt:i■ ill oil I 1!•>;:! 1 ! It:! I 111 111 -i.liSi ilil.-l -; . j : bn’ii ! 1 in ill.- i) > 111 i•ii ill iv iiirli liavo ; : : i>; i! inl in<■; m; i;-iim|irin p ( <! \'nlu:‘. In nibii 11. in . 11111 • Comity lias !'i - ;i i •!. ■ I ii- 1 inn- ili'i-i-i-iM mi.! vi-to"il iiiiiin- ;«!;-\ i-i! viilin-. mill Lu'i ('mint ims ruiirlii! till- (»rn:i-iis:'!. <lf I In 1 . 'III' V.Ysi v'u. sl (‘iniuLii- ! nnli":iliii:i ill IS!IS :i !n|it -id rnliilt; mi ii n i III] i|-i>\'i’il raluo liv -JSI in I! fin.".-;, mill Bullvr in I'.IO-l took a ,-iaiibir ciiai"- by l" I voU-s. ilntli ill V mill NVostlaiii! ('nimtios rah- nil i-:i|iital val ii ■ 1 t«•! Ii iv. iny i';|.i|ia i-:i- ----- talilo fur 111-l in ivlatioii to tin' Wi-.s {'oast Countios inittlit In- of intiT-U-rost.

In nI to the specific t|uo.sLions mised in respect to (a) ns to the effect on tit:' liuances ol the Count il the feral hod y tii'.'-i not suffer in am wav. The Count-:! is t ■ 11 1 11 1 1 -* 1 to collerl in rains under unimproved rating any sum re<|uiivtl uitliin the legal limits of rating which is til,. equivalent ol 3d on capital value. To equal its requirements on the present year li'd'd-TS. roughly rate ol ;j.ui on unimproved values would have Keen ueeessarv to strike. lae im-onie trout rates ntulf-r whatever system can lie so adjusted as tu meet tin- requirements of the Council for the year a-re, ding to the Kstimated reveiiue requir.-il to meet the estimated xpenditurr.

hi I'e^iilo »sit*>~tion (!■) t!*c mnii-lic-i- of norkiuii is smiihir m rr.ti nr on <":pit;i! !;•'.•>' -pting tiso n ditl'oront set of v:iili i -‘ inrun - . oin ■ inli 11-: «ini :i hiolivr iiuiV.iso ,I'T i oiiiii! Tc*vic<!. T.it* snino oho- of !-nt.‘ h.-.o'c nm! notiros nre used. The r ; on the '.minus chis-rs

of l'iitoji;iy»T< i' tin* in >-t important a-~ jioc-t. and it <! : nil - on the view point ns to ti : ]' .-'i'll. Ir.i ii von i nopear tli.it it -hom'd he rather to the aggregate tifeet than to the individual effect that tile Council should look, though in ■ I :■ 4cl : - : i 1 decide ti ■ : t-r fir ihemsoh Iv oil |. * gi'o.iud-. As to tin 1

effect oil classes of ratepayers, perhaps the liest impresion can he conveyed ‘by comparative lists, and here are some which have been worked out:— 1922-23 Rate at Rate at 3.G! Cani. value. Unimp. value Countv Councillors. 1 13 19 0 10 2 5 2010 0 1 2

It will be seen that hotel- am! re- . deuces ov'Upving small a leas ol land . ill yield 1 ,r i’"-s' rales, an I tbc diil"-- ( nee i.-, jmssed on to the holders of He. : rge ar as of laud. AAliile iliis is t’ e i gill ellecl of the change, il i a mat i for con-id, rat ion bow far tlm , auge is e([ii 11 a I J,'. hi a oistrn l sic.u. ;• this where del'll Dll t idle. I'l' ' till in ; O'm. w bat< ■ r ■■ .> 1 cm 1 ; a 1 ' ' u '' l 11 '

scuts hardships anu it is a matter which • perhaps can only bo settled by the rate- { payers in their aggregate vote. Ihe ’ principle of rating on unimproved value, while gemuaNy recognised as sound, depend- in the main lor its la riit'ss oii i!t v local (onditi' ns «»i a district, and the po>uion here appears to be such that it can hardly be employee with uniform * ue< .-s as alkcuiig all t.„■ iutci- is involved. There i> u-i anoti’.er aspect id the matter to he considered void that is in ndaii-ui to the ruling of mining propel iy. As originally enacted in IS‘O hv the (h id Indy Abolition and .Mining j Property Rating Act, one distinguishing value was >et down lor mining property, namely “rateable value,” which -as defined to mean “the sum at which the interest of the occupier of the property would bo iairiy purchasable ii sold hv public auction.” ! Ids value, it is further provided, is to be assessed , annually, in the consolidated dating .'statute of HH)h it is provided tha.l where the system of rat mg i n the unimproved value m in force, mining pro* j r‘ v winch i v rateable shall be rateil <>M it-, uniiap s n\t-i ' rhere is no specific definition of unimproved value in relation to min; ;g property in particular, l»ut. in regard lo general property, unimproved vaiue of any pict eoi bind means tlie sum which the owner’s interest therein, if unincumbered, might be expected to realise it offered for sale on reasonable terms, and if no improvements bad been made to the bind. This is practically akin to tlic definition of “rateable value” in ill'* original Mitrng Property dating Act. If this view is "cit*v I (though it is a matter on which legal opinion v pou Id l ; e lake a hef« re any unimproved valuation of mining property is mn ie 'd»oiiM a change be authorised) iiun.iig jiroi)»*rcy will carry additional rates in proportion to the increase it n ay be necessary to make to equalise the total of the income as between rumtnl a.nd unimproved values. As to ill" genera! ;• r ;(* 'h: r; *. the >yslem of rating may be changed only •■till . !•• an •b n f t!. •• i toga;. • - in!i« tied at poll. T'-e poll may be held only o. ; i I i.ui at least lift oca per i n- . uu of tie iOi.nl number .. f rate pa -••-rs. !;• not 'css than fi’dP j: P*jaivi'is would require to sign the pd i- ! : n . i . ’ a '»!■•!■ r the end 'oU 111 ’>e i ill m :o .\ at ;be t iii.e ..xi d for •• be 1 ’ lel T‘’e procedure i - >:;s 1I.r»1 1 ! a t i'ir al>a a pol b nd •In* prop.--* a! U a.*- odlov"i : a Ling property -at the hsu-• •> oi the ; ;;e West lain! ( 'oll'.i • . ! I vole Por lhe above proposa |. 1 vote Against the ab«»vc prop <ab A n ajority of tin* valid voles re< rdf*d re nire io !»*• in favor to carry ini’ affirmative. There i - a like p"<;wv ’dig pro\ led for tbe revision of Ihe p". co-al, sh uld 1 ii«- ratepayers petition ■-! uilariy- but

System of rutin" 1 Bailor Unimproved InaiiKitliua Unimproved Grey Capital AWsthuu! Capital Capital value £1.002.034 400.347 008.3!!'.) 012.407 Unimproved 400. 770 128.872 313.713 3 10.303 llatim; .. o\d 4!d 3d 2 (d Kates eolleoUd >77 3.8(50 (>.*2i)!* 3.700 Total local rev. .. ] 2.(573 0.340 13.083 1 1.420 Crailts 7,008 :'.003 11,03] 3.003 l [nspiin! low .... 2.270 2.080 3.310 Administration *2r>.<)*2 •JO. 74 13.13 13.27 Office employees 4 r, 4 3 Salaries 1)70 1 .240 1 .21!) 044 ■Ollier einjvluvees lo 3 17 <; Way. 2.240 SJ.4 3.010 1.104 Copulation 3.400 3,4 47 3.210 1.132 i.oau indebt. . .. 1 1.272 *2*2.707 12.1538 4.103 .Metal rds (miles) 110 i IS 201 *J i' > Co tracks (miles) i>0 o*2 200 242

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