HOROWHENUA COUNTY RATES

Shannon News, 19 November 1926, Page 3

HOROWHENUA COUNTY RATES

TOKOMABU RATEttAtERS PROTEST. [ EXPLANATION AND COMPARISON v ■ ■ ' . At Saturday's nieeting of the Horowhenua Council a petition, signed by 50 ratepayers of the Tokomaru Riding was received objecting to the increase in their rates for the 1 year 3,926-27 and asking for' an explanation of the matter. The chairman (Or. Monk) asked the clerk to make, a statement qii the subject. The clerk (Mr F.„H. Hudson) stated that according' to the Government stareport for 1924.-1925, of the 123 counties in New. Zealand, 89 showed ajhigher rate than Horowhenua and 33. a lower-rate. - In some of the baiter there were still road boards which reduced the County rate's .in those cases. Taking the rateable values for the year ended March 31, 1926, the rate per £IOOO of capifal value in Horowhenua was £4 8s sd. The average for the Dominion was £5 . 95.-. 7d. The clerk also submitted the .following table showing the general rates paid -in the Tokomaru Biding upon a property with a capital value of £4OOO for the last five years and--since the revaluation of the County.—

The clerk said that a previous enquiry had been received in regard to Tokomaru rating and he had replied as.folloAvs: The general rate struck in the Tokomaru Riding during the past six years was as follows: 1921-22, ,£d; 1922-23, -sd; 1923-24, fd; 1924-25, id; ■1925-26, id; 1926-27/11-16ths .plus hospital rate. At March 3.lst. 1924, Avhen the general rate Avas §d in the pound, there Avas a credit in the Riding account amounting to £2883, which had occurred for several years prior to that date. When the estimates for 1924-25 were drawn up. it was considered that in vitw'of the surplus a''substantial reduction could be made in the, general rate'to the extent of 4d in the £l. At March 31, 1925, the position Avas much better than anticipated as. a result of the contribution from the Main HighAvays Board being more than estimated and also a special Government grant. Due chiefly to these considerations the year ended Avith a credit of £1568. By cutting down the estimates for 1925-26 and absorbing the smplus, it Avas again? found possible to- carry on with the rid in the £1 reduction. For the current year, 1926-27, a turn in the tide had,taken place and the estimates-had'gone back to practically the same as for 1923-224, Avhen the rate was Sd in the pound with the exception that in the interval the hospital levy had risen from £2597 to £3377. In view of the increasing hos-

pital levy, the Council thought .it proper to levy a separate rate jis-an indication to ratepayers that this«contribution represents a substantial portion of the rates levied. ' The upkeep of the main highways had a very important bearing on the fundamental ' position, especially at the, present time when reconstruction operations were in a transition state. When 1 ' the scheme was more advanced in Tokomaru.; a benefit Avould undoubtedly be felt so.*-far-,as the expenditure on main highways wen* concerned. ' V Cr. Whyte (Tokomaru)- We- have been ■ theV lowe&t rated riding \in the County and compare more than favourably with adjoining counties. J With' a £3OOO surplus we were able to get through' with a half-per ny rate. Tie cutting out of the bi'idge over the Otauru helped 'o keep the expenditure down, but no sooner was it cut out than the ratepayers called on tli3 ; Council to erect the bridge. The maintenance expenditure has also beeai low. It. was unfortunate that the increase in rates had taken place in a year that was a very leau one for dairy farmers. The clerk was instructed to reply to the petitioners on the ,lines of his statement. '■

The chairman said the County Clerk was -to bp eominen'derl on tlie figures he was able to lay before The Council and ratepayers hi regard to the'matter.

Eating period. Bate. Tokoiraru Riding. £ s. d. 1922-1923 id 14 11 8 1923-1924 Jcl 12 10 0 1924-1925 id 8 C 8 1925-1926 Id 8 6 8 ■ 1926-1927— General 'n-ieth. 11 9 ' 2 ■■' Hospital ll-64th 2 17 3 ,