The Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1907. THE COMING POLL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3776, 19 October 1907, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1907. THE COMING POLL.

A Petition has been presented to the Borough Council containing the signatures of ratepayers —many more than the required number stated in the Act —asking that a poll be taken on the question of rating on the unimproved value. The poll must be taken riot sooner than 21, nor later than 28 days from the date ori which the petition is presented. We do not think it necessary to reiterate what has appeared in these columns from time to time, in reference to this question. We would, however, urge all ratepayers to ascertain whether their names appear on the ratepayers’ list. Many sections of land in the borough have changed hands lately, and, unless the purchasers notify the Town Clerk in time, 'their names may be excluded from the voters’ list to* be prepared. We sincerly hope that a little more interest will be taken in this poll than obtained at the recent byeelection. It is now a question of progress or stagnation. We feel sure ratepayers will rally round .’the banner of progress, and carry the proposal of rating on the unimproved by a substantial majority. Here are a few points : “The Rating on Unimproved Value Act, 1.896,” was passed by the General Assembly to afford local bodies the opportunity of adopting the principle of rating which is expressed in the title of the measure. It is entirely at the option of the bodies to adopt the system, and provision is made for a return to the old system of rating, if desired, after three years’ experience of the new one. The Act provides that a proportion of the ratepayers on the roll, varying from 25 per cent, where the total number does not exceed 100, to 15 per cent, where the number exceeds 300, may by demand in .writing, delivered to the chairman of the district, require that a proposal to rate property on the basis of the unimproved value may be submitted to the ratepayers, whose votes shall be taken between twenty-one and twenty-eight days after delivery of the demand. The poll is to be taken in the same manner as in case of a proposal to raise a loan in the district under ‘The Local Bodies Loan Act, 1901.’ Under the original Act it was necessary for a minimum number of one-third ot the ratepayers to vote, and a majority of their votes carried the proposal. Now, under “ The Local Government Voting Reform Act, 1899,” the question of adoption or otherwise is decided by a bare majority of the valid votes recorded, irrespective of the number of ratepayers who have voted. A rescinding proposal can be carried.at a poll by the same means as one for adoption, but not until after three years have elapsed ; and, vice versa, rejection of a proposal bars itslbeing again brought forward fora similar period. However, in the case of past polls at which the proposal to adopt the Act was rejected solely on account of an insufficient number of ratepayers recording their votes, it is now provided that a new poll may be held at time. The valuation-roll is supplied to the local authority by the Valuer-General under the provisions of “The Government Valuations of Lands Act, 1896,” and its amendments of 1900 and . 1903, and the definitions of “capital value,” “ improvements” “ unimproved value,” and “value of improvements ” found in these Acts apply also to the Rating on Unimproved Value Act. Provision is made for adjustment of rating-powers given under previous Acts to the Act 1896 by fixing equivalents. Thus a rate of is in the pound on the annual value under former Acts is to be considered equal to yd in the pound on the capital value under the Act of 1896. The adjustments are to be made so that the rates on the unimproved value shall be such as to produce as much as. but not more than, the rates under ‘ ‘ The Rating Act, 1894.” For instance, supposing a local authority has a rating-power up to yd in the pound on the capital value, then it can levy any rate in the pound on the unimproved value of land in its district so long as the producing capacity of such rate is not greater than would be the producing capacity of a yd rate on the capital value of the district. When a fixed rate, under the older system of rating, is security for a loan, the Controller and Auditor-General is given power to interfere and fix the new rate himself if of opinion that the new rate on the unimproved value does not afford equally good security to the

one to be given up. The operation of the Act does not apply to water, gas, electric light, sewage, nor hospital and charitable aid rates.