ARREARS OF RATES

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1932, Page 6

ARREARS OF RATES

AN ABANDONED PROPERTY. ’ MORTGAGOR'■ NOT LIABLE. ■ WELLINGTON, September 24. Whether the rates were recoverable in respect of a -property which had been abandoned by a’ mortgagor to the State Advance's Department though the name of the mortgagor Avas stll on' the - rate roll of the loclal rating authority \vas a point of IaAV decided by Mr W. H. Woodward, S.M., at the Lmver Hutt Court yesterday in a rekeryed judgment'.. The casp aaose when the mayor, burgesses and councillors of Lower D. Bree, relief 1 worker, for rates amounting to £23 6s 10(1. In his judgment the magistrate kaid that section 63' of the Eating Act, 102.'), provided that on the sale, transfer or other disposition of any lands, notice thereof must he given, within one month in writing to the, local authority. It was held, that an abandonment, such as occurred in the Cape in question, where the department bald taken steps to determine the mortgagor’s title, did not come within the meaning of the words “sale, transfer or other disposition” in the section, and .therefore, there jras no laabjUiity on the mortgagor to give the notice required 'by. .the section. Siich -being the. .oaje, : although' tdie mortgagor was on the rate roll, he ..wfas npt liable for the, rates.