PAYMENT OF RATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 July 1919, Page 7

PAYMENT OF RATES.

ON EX-SOLDIERS' LANDS. Mr W. T. Jennings, M.P., is in receipt of the following letter from the Hon. D. H. Guthrie, Minister of Lands:— Dear Sir,—Referring to your recent 'communication in which representations were made that the Government should fay the rates accruing on estates purchased for discharged soldiers until such time as the lands are selected, I have to inform you ,that I have given the matter careful consideration and find that it would be very difficult, in fact, impossible, to ascertain what the probable annual cost would be if it were decided to do this./ In some cases the settlements are quickly disposed of, but in some cases sections remain open for a long time, Some county councils have agreed that soldier settlers in their districts should have Tates remitted for periods up to 4 years, although they have objected to bearing the whole cost of ,the concession. In one case the local body has already, by special resolution, remitted one year's rates. . The roads made by the Government when r-bdividing properties acquired for settlement invariably benefit the diatrict as a whole, and moreover, the local body is, not called upon to pay any of the cost. Reserves for public purposes, metal, etc., are frequently made. These roads and reserves, of course, benefit the district as a whole, and incidentally the local authority obtains the other benefits that accrue from ,the increase in population. For the reasons mentioned and in view of the liabilities now being incurred in connection with the settlement of discharged soldiers on the lands in question, I regret that at the present .time I cannot recommend the Government to pay the rates on lands purchased for the settlement of soldiers between the dates of acquisition by the Crown and disposal to the soldier settler. It is my opinion that local bodies should bear this, in most cases sm«Jl loss, and thus help to establish discharged soldiers on the land with the best possible chances of success.