THE VALUATION ROLL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 245, 6 November 1914, Page 4

THE VALUATION ROLL.

Rating and Roading.

The valuation roll for the Waiuku town district shows a total value of £117,120. Of this sum the exemptions amount to £78655, so that the actual rating value is, roughly, £IIO,OOO. The present general rate of |d in the £, if this U adopted by the Board, would yield approximately about £345. Add to this Government subsidy on rates collected within a certain period of the current year, together with license fees, dog tax and other minor sources of income, and this gives an indication of the Board's prospective revenue. Probably the total realisation would be from £SOO to £550. This is assuming, of course, that the Board levy on the increased valuations the same amount of rate formerly.

From this it will be evident that the Board can hope to do little, if any, work of a really permanent nature out ot revenue. Allocations for maintenance work and cost of administration, etc., will scon absorb the sum mentioned. People who are expecting great improvements to be brought about by the Board in regard to streets and footpaths must realia3 that any new works to effect substantial permanent improvement can only be carried out by means of loan monies or by an increase of general rates. The latter method is r.ot at all favoured by people who study the position, as it imposes the full burden of providing roads to last for a term of thirty years or more within a short period; whereas carried out by means of lean monies the cost of such improvements is spread over the full period ths works are calculated t3 last ar.d the rate is consequently scarcely felt, while the people who get the benefit of usage during that time have to pay their purtion.

It is obviou?, therefore, that the Board has little scope to elfect improvements unless the ratepayeis adopt a borrowing policy. Much expectancy is prevalent in regard to the desired renewing of reads and remaking of fcotoatbs, but the Board can only work tiansformaticns if the ratepayers find the money. When the Board numbers have had time to settle down they will doubtless give an indication as to what is cunsidered their policy. Certainly Home action should be taken to ensure the main thoroughfare being much better than a bad-conditioned stockyard during next winter.