The Daily News. FRIDAY, JUNE 9, 1905. THE BURDEN OF THE RATES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7844, 9 June 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. FRIDAY, JUNE 9, 1905. THE BURDEN OF THE RATES.

The question which is. continually exercising the minds of residents in somo of the boroughs in the Old Country is how they are going to meet the ever-increasing rates, which are threatening to become a greater burden than can be borne without submitting to a considerable sacrefice of the comforts of life. iAt present, tlierd is a willespreajl aufcrj-; against that policy of extravagance which results in the oppression of tho ratepayers, but, despite tho growing indignation) of the thinking portion of the public, the local bodies continue upon the path of recklessness. When such an illustration is available a» the proposal of the London County Council to spend about two millions on a lordly palace in which to carry on its business, the public may well be excused for loudly protesting against a vote so monstrous. In the case of Stepney, one of the poorer but thickly populated suburbs of London, the rates have risen in a few years by more than r>o per cent, and though the need of economy is vary great, owing to the borough; not being in a very flour,shing condition, a proposal for a gcDoral increase of salaries was recently made, but was referred to ai committee to report upon, instead of being carried straightaway by a vote of tho council as only too frequently happens. The subject is one that threatens to become equally pressing in the colonies unless special core is taken to guard against the policy of extravagance pursued in other places, especially when aided and abetted by Socialist voters whose efiorts are strenuously directed towards increasing the rates' as much' as possible under the mistaken idea that they are squeezing the life blood ouc of the property owners. The idea that the purse of the ratepayer is bottomless, is, doubtk'ss, responsible for ' many hasty and irresponsible proposals, as it does not seeni' to bo understood that if a large part of the ratepayer's income is taken from him and wasted, he will have so much less money to spend in other directions, with the certain result that trade will languish within the highly-rated district. Moreover, wise men will awoid boroughs where the administration is bad and the rates are high. Commenting on litis question the Daily Mail says : '"fjjo government of responsible people by the irresponsible is now be ng tested in our municipalities. On all sides outcries are heard against the crushing weight of the rats. In each case it will be found that the extravagant municipality seeks to shift its b'urden upon other shouklrt's under aonic specious excuse, sMich as " equalisation of rates." or '' taxation of land ,val-> ues." or nn Imperial 'contribution to the cost of education. The spend-.' thrift's' bills are pouring in, lout. th 0 spenthriffc now. requires that someone else sliall pay them for him." With excellent reason did the Times declare recently in a weighty leading article that tho growth of the rates has been in some districts a " verti-. aJilo calamity," and .proceed :—Tho true authors of the troubles of the workman' as to rent may be the very ptirsous the sutltrcrs look upon

as peculiarly their representatives j upon local bodies. Thero Js one classl of sufferers who ore perfectly aware oJ the true reason of their difficulties. To the sntall shopkeeper and to the professional man in a humble way 'this increase may be vital. U may mean difference between waking a profit or a loss in .business. There appear to be two prominent features which tlominata the s-dtufltlion, and it, is difficult to decide which of the twain is the worse. In the first, place, the ardent municipalist will not admit any need for economy, many items of bis outlay which ought, undoubtedly, to be charged to income being covered by loaii| money, which has to be met by posterity. Then this incentive to relievo

the present generation leads directly to a borrowing policy which has no finality. The real reason why money is tHorrpwed is that the process of borrowing is easy, whereas it an inc(!ased rate is levied, there is unj outcry. But the security offered to the lender is growing insufficient in; many districts, and fear may well he expressed as to the provable elects upon boroughs laden with eniormous debts of a prolonged period |of bad trade. The only means of remedying, or, better still, preventing the "evil lays entirely in the reform ol

municipal government. At present the experience at Home is that the people who benefit, or think that they beneiit by extravagance return the members of the municipal bodies, while the business section of the community and the middle class, who slitter most from extravagance, are virtually powerless and have to meet the bills. In the Vast majority of towns the men with foresight and financial experience are eithes outvoted by the spendthrifts, or unwilling to take office in conjunction with colleagues with whose opinions they are at var. ianco in toto, but unless our public bodies aro composed of men of ability and honesty the time will come when life for us all will be made unnecessarily hard, industry and progress will be greatly hampered, and the future mortguged to the last farthing. In political matters this colony has shown the wisdom of its administration, and set many a lesson to the. Motherland. The reflex of this Should bo seen in our municipal administration, and then our citizens need not fear times l of temporary depression, or any other evil thut saps the vitality from the older communities of both hemispheres.