Untitled

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2587, 31 May 1923, Page 3

Sir, —I notice in Tuesday’s Herald that a Councillor exposes a little bit of high finance on the part of the Council in regards to depleting the revenue from reserves by charging rates on what is termed the people’s playground. As a Councillor v.hy didn’t he object when this little shuffle was on? If the Council spent money on the reserves out of the" general account is there any wonder that our footpaths have been neglected? Perhaps, sir, he will illuminate his fellow Councillors and the public at the next Council meeting. There is one other subject I would like to touch on. Can you tell the public why we are paying a library rate of J(1 in the £. Yours etc. RATEPAYER.

In submitting the above to the Town Clerk, he states: — “Section (2) of ‘The Rating Amendment Act, 1913’ provided for the exemption of municipal lands and buildings, but this section was repealed by ‘The Rating Amendment Act, 1915,’ thus validating the im]>ost, both of the Parks as well as on the gasworks and town hall, etc. All Municipal lands are rated by the Hospital Board when calculating the annual levy T from the Borough, and the Target Reserve, outside the Borough, pays rates to the Manawatu County Council. If the lessees did nol have to pay the rates the Borough Council would, and the same position applies to lands within the Borough. A simple instance is the case of the Bowling Green. Tbs land is leased to the Bowling Club, who pay rates on it, and nowhere will you find that this land becomes exempt from rates when the lease expires. “The Library rate has been levied continuously since 1895 under the provisions of ‘The Municipal Corporations Act.’ The rate originally levied was Id, whereas it is now one-eighth of a penny, producing about £SO. This sum, with subscriptions, brings in about £BO per annum, to pay the Librarian, rent, etc., and to -purchase new books. The amount spent on books during the last five years averages £24 per annum. More than £2O worth of books have been purchased since the Ist April last, and this is not included in the average.”

In connection with the above, we may point out that where a local governing authority leases endowments or reserves for revenue purposes, or private gain, it is fair and equitable that such property should bear its proportion of rates, but, on the other hand, where such reserves are used exclusively for public purposes and without profit, the imposition of rates is not only extraordinary, but manifestly unfair.