TOWN IMPROVEMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, 6 November 1918, Page 4

TOWN IMPROVEMENT.

THE EDITOR CRITICISED.

To the Editor. . Sir —I read with interest your leader, on “Town Improvement’ ’ in your issue of the 4th inst., but I, take exception to your remarks implying that the rates in Taihape arc so high as to, deter property owners from building. I leave out “special rates” levied over defined portions of the B'orough for special services for which the ratepayers in those portions are, willing to pay, as evidenced by their having sanctioned the loans, and confine my remarks to the “general rate” levied on all rateable properties within the Borough.

Prom the- “New Zealand Statistical Tables relating to Local Governing Bodies,” I find that out offthe twenty boroughs in New Zealand which rate on the capital value: 5 strike a smaller general rate than Taihape, one strikes the same rate, and no less than 13 strike a larger rate, the general rate in th?s Borough being IJd.

There arc a considerable number of properties in this Borough which only pay the general rate, lighting rate of 1-Sd and roads and town improvement rate of a total of 1 and 5-Sd, which surely cannot deter people from building? Of course I see clearly that the trendy of your remarks is more in favour of rating on the improved value, than against the amount of rates payable in the Borough, but I think it would be wrong to allow the impression that this Borough is excessively rated, to be spread broadcast, without doing my best to point out that this is not in 'accordance with fact. It ill becomes us to depreciate the value of our town as a place of residence and much harm may bo done by giving the outside public a wrong impression as to the liabilities of the property owners within this Borough, who are only waiting until the cost of erection is nearer normal, in order to build ? and I am certain that the present cost, which is the outcome of war conditions, and not of the rates, is the cause why building is not being proceeded with — I am, etc., A. L. AREOWSMITH. Taihape, November 5, 1918. (The above is referred to in the editorial columns of this issue, Ed.)