The Kaipara & Waitemata ECHO WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE KAIPARA ADVERTISER & WAITEMATA CHRONICLE" HELENSVILLE, THURSDAY, JUNE 27TH. UNSIGHTLY SITES.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 27 October 1921, Page 2

The Kaipara & Waitemata ECHO WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE KAIPARA ADVERTISER & WAITEMATA CHRONICLE" HELENSVILLE, THURSDAY, JUNE 27TH. UNSIGHTLY SITES.

MOST country towns in New Zealand suffer through the existence in the principal streets of vacant, ugly, unkept town allotments. Helensville, though it does not boast any extent of flat land, is no exception to the rule. Right in the main streets, opposite and alongside of business premises, there a,re vacant unfenced sections, some overrun with scrub and noxious weeds. These ugly spots undoubtedly spoil the appearance of the town, and make strangers gaze quite contemptuously. In some cases these sections are held by absentees, in others by residents, all of whom are evidently waiting to benefit by the " unearned increment" — that is, while others spend money in building and in improving the streets, the value of the vacant lots necessarily thereby increases and the owners eventually reap a benefit caused by the progress and industry of others. The selfish behaviour of these hangers-on for increased value has for years been a source of vexation and annoyance to local bodies: when forming footpaths and streets they experience a great deal of trouble, especially in the case of absentee owners. Parliament recognised the waiting method referred to bypassing laws enabling focal bodies to rate on "unimproved values," after a poll of ratepayers had been taken in favour of such system of rating. Many of the smaller towns have found this system most beneficial. Unused sections are taxed almost as highly as if they contained buildings ; the owners don't like paying heavy rates when getting no return, so it^-m^ny cases they sell to others who make use of the land, or else build themselves to ensure an income. We have known instances where owners have held on to sections when they could have sold to advantage and benefited the town, but they kept them until they died ; then the executors or public trustee take a hand, and the properties are sold and become useful.