THE Pukekone and waiuku Times PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 1916 CAPITAL OR UNIMPROVED RATING.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 164, 11 April 1916, Page 2

THE Pukekone and waiuku Times PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS.

TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 1916 CAPITAL OR UNIMPROVED RATING.

"We nothing extenuate, nor set down auaht in malice,"

Advocates of rating on unimproved values iustead of on capital values should be encouraged by the views oxpressed and personal testimony furnished by a deputation from Hucua that waited on the Franklin County Council last Thursday. In the time that their Road Boards held sway the ratepayers both of Hunua and Awhitu Central adopted by poll the system of rating on unimproved values and after the Hunua Road District merged into the County the same mode of rating was enforced up to March 31st of last year. Awhitu Central in the meantime merged and when the rates for the year 1015-16 wero being considered an application came forward from ratepayers of Awhitu Central for their ratiDg to be continued on the unimproved value basis. The question of such possibility was referred to the legal adviser of the. New Zealand Counties Association (Mr T. F. Martin) and his opinion was that as rating on capital values was in force in the County the morged districts, despite their wishes as signified at the previous rating polls, would have to fall in with the general Couuty system of rating, namely on the capital value. The rate notices were issued accordingly but whilst no further protest appears to have been la'sed from Awhitu Central, whoso ratepayers had not had previous experience of County ratiug, the effects became apparent iu tho Hunua riding and discontent has prevailed. A meeting of Hunua ratepayers was recently held and a deputation was appointed to wait ou tho County Council, and this duly eventuated on Thursday. The four delegates who attended were representative of both large and small property owners—resident occupiers who wero " working " their landsami the rate notices they produced made it evident that by the change to lating on the capital value they were called upon to pay amounts iiuitd double tho sum previously loyied upon them or at least much U10153 in proportion to the increase in the County ;ate. T'.ejr contention wa-> that whilst tuey suffered in that way the absentee or non- j resident owner, who allowed his 1 land to remain idle, scored at their j oxpeuso and his share of rates on the j capital value was only half of its [•raviolis figure, In other words, ; they pointed on/, lh\\ nero penal-

ised for their industry. Thoy accordiDgly asked that in the case of the lluuua riding that " unimproved rating" should again bo levied. They further took up the apparently legitimate contention that in regard to special loans, raised on the unimproved basis, their liabilities should be confined to the amounts for which they were liable when the loans were authorised, instead of having to pay any increases thereon as the result of capital value rating. Cr Lockwood, tho represer.tative of the Hunua riding, who it should be mentionod only became a member of the Council at the last election, strenously supported the views advocated by the deputation and pointed out that as a change in the rating system was not anticipated owners had paid no heed to capital values as set down by the Government valuer but had simply " watched " his proceedings in relation 1o unimproved values. Cr Lockwood raised the further point that Counsel for the Counties' Associai on had given a ruling on the assumption that capital value rating was in general forcejthroughout the County whereas in the case of the Hunua riding unimproved value rating had been in vogue. Cr Renall re-echoed previous views he had expressed in favour of rating on unimproved values, more particularly in tho interests of Awhitu ratepayers. The Council as a body apparently were impressed with the justice of the arguments put before them and decided to take legal opinion as to the possibility of giving relief to .the applicants in the way suggested. If this is found possible the larger question may assert itself that it would be found advantageous to the County as a whole to encourage the efforts of the resident owner by resorting to unimproved value ratiug instead of the existing system of rating on the capital value. It certainly seems unjust and impolitic that whilst the mm " on the spot " should pay dearly for his labours the owner, not in residence or awaiting unearned increment, should protit by the industry of his neighbour, who is doing his share of advancing the products of tho eoil of tho Dominion.