INGLEWOOD.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 October 1922, Page 3

INGLEWOOD.

WEDNESDAY’S POLLS. > ' (From Our Own Correspondent.) Naturally the issues to be decided at the polls by the ratepayers of Inglewood on Wednesday, November 1, are being made the subjects of a good deal of interested discussion amongst them. With regard to that on the proposal of the borough council to ’borrow £3OOO for reconstructing and adding to the electric light installation and the purchase of plant and material, it is to be hoped it will be carried without trouble. The work for which the money is wanted has to be done in order to bring the electric light system of the borough up to the standard of efficiency required by the Government’s chief electrical engineer, as well as to enable the necessary work to be done for Inglewood to link up with New Plymouth. By the Local Bodies’ Finance Act, all such bodies are required to show clean sheets in their bank accounts at March 3J of each year, otherwise this amount could have been got by way of bank overdraft without the ratepayers being called upon to vote on the question. But under the now enactment the vote is needed to authorise the security required, though, judging by past experience, it is not expected that necessity will arise for collecting the rate, for, so far, no rate in connection with expenditure on Inglewood's electrical enterprise has had to be collected, that department of the borough’s undertakings having proved self-supporting. It is, therefore, confidently anticipated that the loan proposal will be carried by a substantial majority. The other poll to be taken on the same day, on the question of rating on the unimproved value of lands within the borough, opens up a subject on which opinions are divided, and one whereon ratepayers would be well advised to study the experience of other places where it has been adopted. A certain definite annual revenue, derivable from rates, is absolutely necessary. Under the present system those rates are levied on of the lands, plus that of the improvements thereon, dwellings, shops, hotels, sheds, fences, cultivations, etc. Under the proposed system the same total revenue would have to be forthcoming, but. calculated on the value o f the land only, it is a question whether the -benefit claimed for it would be found to follow its adoption. Saturday's News contains a report of arguments, advanced in the House of Representatives by prominent men, who have studied the results of its application, which are decidedly unfavorable, and give cause for serious thought. They assert that some results, the exact opposite of those wished for by its supporters, have been brought about by the adoption of unimproved value rating, and quote instances. It is admittedly very difficult, if not impossible, to levy a perfectly fair rate, but. at least, it is worth while very carefully to consider the step before striding from one style to another. An old adage runs: “Better the devil you know than one you’re not i’cquanited with.” However, the ratepayers must decide and vote for that side of the issue which they think is most likely to be conducive to the progress of their town.