Opotiki News

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 448, 4 February 1933, Page 6

Opotiki News

(From Our District Representative)

COUNTY FINANCE REPORT TO COUNCIL URGES PRACTICE OF RIGID ECONOMY • RECOVERY GF RATES The question of unpaid rates came in for the serious consideration of the Opotiki Borough Council at its last meeting. In the course of his report to the council the clerk said : — "Rates amounting to £10,074 5s 9d were struck for the current year. To date £3333 7s 7d had been collected, being a percentage of slightly over 33 per cent. Outstanding rates at 31/3/32 were shown at £14,982 9s 7d. Of this sum £1010 11s 3d has been collected during the current year. "The bank overdraf t with outstanding cheques stands at £7498 16s ld. The financial position is, in my opinion, an exceedingly serious one, and it appears to me that drastic steps must immediately be taken if the council is to function properly during the approaching winter. "Both receipts and expenditure must be closely scrutinised. Dealing with the receipts side I consider it necessary (1) that the treasurer receive authority to advertise that all' rates for the current year will be sued for unless paid by March 31 next and that he be empowered to take action where necessary; (2) that the treasurer receive authority to ; endeavour to arrange with the Opotiki Dairy Association, and other dairy companies to collect rates in instalments from ratepayers' factory cheques; (3) that the county solicitors be given authority to fully exercise the processes of the law in recover-! ing outstanding rates where necessary. On the expenditure side, it is essential that the most rigid economy be practised, even to the extent of reducing or rationing labo'ur. Much as I deplore recommending the above )proposals I feel that stern necessity warrants this action." Cr. Martin f elt they had come to a dead-end as far as rates were concerned. Everyone must pay for food and clothing for his family first. The council should press the Government to assist by making road users pay by putting on a road tax of some kind, which would enable them to collect something from Maoris, who did not pay rates in the ordinary way. Cr. Black pointed out that the matter was urgent as something must be done at once. He suggested that they should follow the usual constitutional methods meantime. Cash Necessary The clerk pointed out that it was essential that something should be done to enable him to collect rates from those who were able to pay. If this was not done he felt that the council could not carry on next winter. There were four or five judgments in some cases against one ratepayer, and in this type of case the persons merely went on allowing judgments to pile up against them without any intention of paying. He thought that in such cases the solicitors should have power to take further steps to make such people pay provided they were able to do so. It was decided to adopt the suggestions contained in the speeial report.