BATH FEES AGAIN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 500, 6 April 1933, Page 5

BATH FEES AGAIN

ratepayers' protest VALUE OF GROUND RE^TS RECRIVED BY COUNCIL £18,000 IN TEN YEARS The question of the bath fees was agaih brought up at last night's meeting of the Rotorua Borough Council by a letter from the hon. secretary, Rotorua Ratepayers' Association, adr vising that at the unnual meeting of the association a resolution was passed that the ;exeeutive should do all in its power to induce the Government to pay a* substantial rate subsidy to the Rotorua Borough Council. ■ , As an initial step in that direction the executive respectfully suggested that the council make a representation to that effect in the prbper quarter, in which case the Ratepayers' Association promised their earnest support. Owing to the cessation of bath f ee payments, the income of the borough is greatly redueed and this association deemed it ineumbent upon the Government, which. paid no rat.es on the great amount of property and interests owned by it in this borough, to bear its share of the cost of administration at least in the same ratio in which it is represented on the council, namely, one in' five. Governgient Representation Cr. A. Smith contended that as the Government had ceased to pay the fees, it should cease to have direct representation upon the council. He thought that the matter should be taken further. . Cr. O. H. Coleman supported the point of view and a motion was moved by Cr. .Smith to this effect. The Mayor deprecated this action. Crs. perhaps, did not know that the council received ground rents from the Government which had amouiied to £18,000 in the last 10 years. Were such action taken the council might lose this. Hand' Over Control Cr. E. T. Johnson agreed that if the council did not get ground rents or similar moneys then there should be no representation. He thought that the Government should hit the nail on the head and carry out the recommendation of the Economy Commission,- and hand the whole town over to the council and get fid of the dual control. , This view was not held by Cr. Galbraitli who considered that the council got great help from the Government nominees on the council. Cr. Smith then withdrew his motion and Cr. Coleman suggested that the Ratepayers' Association be informed that the council had already made strong protests at the loss of the bath fees and would continue to do so. This was carried. The mayor pointed out that the Go- • vernment had merely terminated the contract when it had expired and was not actually evading a responsibility when it refused to carry on paying the bath fees.