THE RATE BOOK.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9024, 10 January 1908, Page 5

THE RATE BOOK.

* (To the Editor.) Sir, —Your statement that my motion was brought forward against < the interests of the borough and was likely to lead to costly litigation is incorrect and misleading. My motion was brought forward in - the interests of the borough, and to prevent the possibility of the Council, at some future time, having to face costly litigatipn in connection with the present unsatisfactory state of the rate book. The position is as follows: The rate book for the year lyo6-07 is informal, the rate has apparently not been legally struck, there is no rats purporting to be made for that period. Tnat state of affairs is undesirable, and may be costly to the ratepayers at any time. Such being the case, I proposed that immediate steps be laken to validate the rate book, and that a committee be ap--pointed to ascertain: —1. Has J the rate for 1906-7 been legally struck? 2. If not, should the rate book be valdiated? 3. If so,.the proper procedure to do so? Clearly a simple process that would have faced the position, and cost the Council a few pounds only, and would have absolutely done away with the possibility ; of any future trouble. I was defeated, and a motion by the Mayor 'was .carried, leaving tho position uncertain and unsatisfactory, to be settled (if ever it is settled) in a Court of law,' with the accompanying .cjsta which the ratepayers will have to pay. Should the present unbusinesslike position regarding the "rate briok ever cost the Council any money it will be simply because a seciion of the Council voted against my motion to validate the rate, and that at once.—l am. etc., J. YARR. Masterton, January 9th. [Although Cr Yarr occupies a good deal of space in reply to .our article criticising his motion, he does not quote a single line to show that it was "incorrect" or "misleading" in any -Cr Yarr's letter, like his observations at the last meeting of the Borough Council, indicates that he 'is hopelessly confused between the procedure connected with the striking o£ the rate and the formalities necessary in regard to the ratingbook. Assuming that there are informalities, Cr Yarr's opinion as to their effect ia of course valueless. . Only an undoubted, legal authority would be worth listening to on such points.—Ed. W.A.]