OTAKI COMMISSION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3767, 15 March 1928, Page 4

OTAKI COMMISSION.

MATTERS OF VITAL INTEREST

BOROUGH MASS' BE ABOLISHED.

Matters of vital interest to the Borough of Otaki are to he inquired into, and reported upon by a commission, which has been appointed by the Minister in Charge of Valuation (Hon. A. D. McLeod).

The. Commissioners are Mr. R. W. Watson, S.M., of Feilding, who will be chairman, the Mayor of Lower Hutt (Mr. W. T. Strand), and Mr. W. Nash (secretary of the New Zealand Labour Party), and the report is returnable by May Ist next.

The commissioners are asked to report on the following matters: — “(1) Whether the area now comprising the Borough of Otaki is suitable for municipal control, or whether it is desirable that the Borough be abolished. “(2) If it is desirable that the Borough be abolished what provision should be made for the future control of the area now comprising the Borough. “(3) If-it is not desirable that the Borough be abolished, whether any alteration of boundaries ought to be made, either by the exclusion of lands from, or the inclusion of lands in, the Borough. “(4) Whether either in respect of any alteration of the boundaries heretofore- made or in respect of any steps recommended by the Commision, it is desirable that the financial adjustments provided for by section 145 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1920, should be made, or whether in view thereof it is desirable that other adjustments of a special nature should, by reason of the circumstances of the case be made, and, if so, what adjustments should be made. (5) Whether it is desirable that the Borough be divided into wards. “(G) Whether the requisition of the Board of Health should be given effect to, and, if so, what steps should be taken in order that it may be given effect to. o(7) Whether, and to what extent, having regard to the purpose or purposes for .which any lands in the Borough are used, it is de sirable that for the purpose of the levying of rates by the Borough Council, either for. its own purposes or as a contributory local authority under any Act, such lands be valued of a_§pecial basis other than the basis of valuation thereof under the Valuation of Land Act, 1925. “(8) If it is considered advisable that any lands in the Borough be valued for rating purposes on a special basis, then to what ex-i tent, if any, it is desirable that these be excluded from the rating area in respect of any future loans secured by a special rate, over rateable property within the Borough.

“(9) To what extent, if any; it is desirable that lands that will not, or are not likely to, receive any benefit from the expenditure of loan moneys, should be excluded from the rating area in respect of any future loans secured by a special rate) over rateable property within the Borough. “(10) Whether it is practicable or desirable in any way to vary, .by means of a system of differential rating, or, by any other means, the incidence of rates and the relative amount of rates (whether general, special, or any other kind), that are or may hereafter be assessable in respect of any lands in the Borough, or any lands that have been or will be excluded therefrom.

“(11) What restrictions, if any, should he. placed upon the power of the Borough Council to amend under section 23 of the Local Bodies’ Loans Act, 1926, any special rate, either in respect of lands within the Borough or in respect of lands which have been or may he excluded from the Borough, hut so as to remain liable for any special rate.

“(12) Whether, notwithstanding the provisions of the Hating Act, 1925, as to the adoption of any particular system of rating in any district, it is desirable that any system of rating other than that now in force in the Borough, should he in force therein, and, if so, what system and by what means it should be adopted.

“(13) in the event of your reporting that a system of rating other than that now in force should he adopted, what provision, if any, should he made for the future altering of the system so as to he adopted.

“(14) Such other matters alectiug or incidental to the Borough of Otaki, and the administration by the Otaki Borough Council, as may come under your notice in the course of your inquiries, and as you may think it necessary and desirable to consider.” —Chronicle. 5