BOROUGH TAXATION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3173, 26 April 1909, Page 5

BOROUGH TAXATION.

(To the Editor). Sir.- It is a satisfactory matter indeed for ratepayers that we are having a Mayoral contest this year, if only because the fact seems likely to be forced home to the next Council that stricter economy will have enforced in the management of affairs right through the Municipal departments than has been the.case in the immediate past. Mr Hunter during the course of his address made the statement that he could reduce the water rate by two-thirds, and not interfere-seriously with the Borough Finance. If this is a fact, I think the ratepayers sho.uld ponder seriously before they exercise their vote on Wednesday, as at the least Mr Hunter has offered to do what so far the sitting Mayor has failed to do—reduce taxation very materially. If Mr Hollings comes to light now with a similar offer he must consider himself as rather late in the day, and it will mean that he has had to take a lead from his opponent. If he does not make a like offer, I am afraid the position is equally serious for him, as if a man of his opponent's admittedly practical knowledge offers to run the town on a greatly reduced taxation he is undoubtedly the man for Masterton at the present time. The weakness of the past administration throughout has been that it has failed to recognise that light taxation was most urgent during a period of financial distress, especially as rating waa based on boom valuations, now unquestionably absurdly high. Mr Hunter rather opened his hearer's eyes in several of the allega tions made by him, and if it is correct what he stated in reference to the gasworks being deprived o| some £4OO of its profits, Mr Hollings will find it difficult to convince ratepayers that the financial management" l is all that he claims it to be. In detailed items Mr Hunter has apparently, even as a Borouyh Councillor with a gag applied, saved the ratepayers an appreciable sum in the aggregate. As a Mayor he might be capable of accomplishing all that he claims he can. I must congratulate him on having given the ratepayers a few solid facts to think over and having observed the proprieties in so doing. Let the Mayor reply in an equally proper strain, and ratepayers will be indebted to both the Mayoral candidates.—l am, etc., ClVia.