BOROUGH RATES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2666, 6 October 1881, Page 3

BOROUGH RATES.

[to the editor]

g lE> —ln looking over the South Canterbury Times of the 4th, I was surprised to find a statement made by our worthy Mayor. He was objecting to a letter published in your issue of Monday lust, wherein it said that a house valued at £75 a y eftr would ,iave ,0 W 3s in tlie £ rates. The Mayor said “ this was a great mistake, as properties were never rated up to their full value.” Now, Mr Editor it is this statement I take exception to, as it is a well-known fact that most of the properties m the Borough of Timaru are over valued for rating purposes. Although the Act relating to this subject distinctly states that 20 per cent, shall be deducted off the fair annual rent” it is certainly ignored and I think I urn right in saying that half the people in Timaru are paying rates on the full letting value, that Is, one nttti moie than they should do according to law. Then, you will naturally ask, why not appeal at the proper time and place? This is easily answered. In the first place those who do appeal get very little satisfaction ; either the notice is informal and the person appealing finds, after waiting about for hours, that his 0 -i s lost through some trifling informality, or, as is usual, the Borough Llioilo/appeai* on llio «... and the ratepayer is put thrmitrl. 1..« fae.nge a, if he were being sued foi debt. All the legal acumen is brought to prove the Borough valuation correct ami m roost cases the unfortunate ratepayer hough with n good ca.se, is slated, and retires muttering dire vengeance against the whole machinery of municipal la v, and vowing for the luti.re to pay the excess rather than lose the time and he put to the trouble and annoyance ot attending the Court of Appeal, ibis, I venture to say, is the true reason why so few appeals are made, and doubtless js fullj .calculated upon at the time of

valuation. With these facts before us is it any wonder that those outside residents prefer to dispense with the many advantages that are to be found within the Borough ? I should like to see, Mr Editor, a reliable estimate made of what the total rates really will be, including a sewerage rate for the Borough as at present constituted, and also with the extended boundaries, say as proposed to Wilson street. I think if this were ascertained it would be a step in the right direction, and all parties would be able to base their calculations fair to the Borough, and fair to those outside.-—I &c,, WAI-ITI.