THE RATING QUESTION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 603, 17 September 1913, Page 4

THE RATING QUESTION.

The Editor. Sir, —It appears that yet another meeting is to be held to discuss rating on unimproved values. I trust that you will allow me space to suggest a couple of points for consideration. The attitude taken up by the lest speak«r in summing up at last Monday's meeting was: "No reasons have been adduced why we should not make a change; therefore let us make it." That ia not nearly good enough. The present system is either bad or good. A change means financial gain for some and for others. What may be an ideal system in one town may nor suit another at all. The ratepayers should be well assured before changing the system—(l) That the proposßd system ia better than that in vogue; (2) that any hardships entailed on any owners in making the change will be fully justified by equivalent advantages to the community. Without taking up any attitude on the subject, the writer has doubts and would like to see it conclusively proved:—(l) That the small holders, ai the majority, would really benefit; (2) that such benefit will be fairly substantial. Whatever the actual capital value of the businesa pottion of Te Kuiti, the present payments from that portion to the Borough exchequer are relatively large. Whatever the capital value of that portion of the borough devoted to sheep, the present pavmenta to the funds are relatively small. Let the small man he well assured that, in making the "unimproved" owner pay extra, lie is not merely shifting a hunim from ;he owner of "much-im-proved" buni. who may not be the im-

provt-r at ali. .Many of the present

more valuable promises are held on inn.-r by tenants. The rents

i'are sixer;. So mo nf the propottiea I }j !!V ,» chunked hsncic .several times at | value pviTumnblv proportionate to ! (;hc-ir earrdeo rowers. Tito only man who will lu'ivtii if ibe landlord— ofion an absentee i;?niilev;s. The tenants wiii noJ. :;:»in ;r :;!i • inured inducement will U> build more business premises' Own '.nu:.- warrants and <!'io row i 1 : 'o; ni: newer rents?, may b«> •'■ ; e'e'emnrrs. - which, in tun:, • , ..;-.y rv,-- li ..'ir lift (11' bankrupt!?. ''den 'vho bon,;ht pactions and tn?:it on Ibe:n may imd their properties miner the altered eondii ions, worl!) run - rs lee:. 1 hey tiens will brieev about e vmy considerable drop in valuer end period of dopres-mn ensue .Ml this may happen wiShout Preen;ine. m ;ui\ marked decree ny lower rates the bona tide residential house av.m r (who the man morS d irervui;: e; rersideration). be Kuiti m a -,-iy inr; borough, with much unimproved land standing at a artiiieiai vaum, However undesirable (his laSu-r may be. it behoves the ratepayers to look lie fore ho leap.?.--! am, etc.. A. E. KOHJNSON.