RATING ON UNIMPROVED VALUE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 121, 17 June 1901, Page 2

RATING ON UNIMPROVED VALUE.

TO TUB EDITOB. ~" Sin, —You biivo fivqusntly p i Wished abli ariic'oi on the advantige of the system of locil rating on the value if p opaities exclusive of imju-oveuents then on. Fir the psl f„w tern 1 hive re id many argnmuuts fj ■ and against valuing on the unimprovo ', a'd I come to ihe conclusion that the SjS em o : valuing on the unimproved is moro oqual and bi tha gr-fit niapiity of the the present, system d loc 1 laxat'.on is unfair and untq<i.]. 2.-Thin the taxj ation of improvements for 1 ;cal purposei tends to stop the dovl pmecit of the count'y, whereis*ttßi'J Lcil bjdi s empo.\erid to tax ou unimp oved value? oily, improvement* would re uuter.'ally encouraged. 3 Tliat th? proposal to le'i. ve iuiproveru n s from l'jcul taxation vouli tend to stop litnd bring takea up for purely sp culative purposes, and fuither would equalise foixition. 4. That the true land value being once as ertained, the heavy iost of tri'nn al va'u«tiou wou'd be saved, 1 and the clei ical expenses of local rating | bodiei thereby much roduced. 5. Toat confiduncti Wi.uld be given to intinding purchasers, as they would thor. know the maximum amount which they would be calltd upon to pay in thi shape of locil rats. 6. That the actu il unimproved values being becttained orc*i and for all by cjuipttent experts, the serious di-enpneifs aisiug from h-tviog numerous values, where opiniois as to vi'mdiff. r wid< ly, wcu'd disappear. Some <%i<l say if we rate oo the unimproved valua it will not bring in Buffic'en"; revenue. To •hi* I may sny th„ Act will allow local bo'ies to ltvy nto on the unimproved value that would be equivalent to the three farthing iate on the improved value,—l am, etc , D. H. McDonald.