CITY COUNCIL RATES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 41, 18 February 1939, Page 8

CITY COUNCIL RATES

LAST DAY BEFORE PENALTY RUSH TO AVOID THE EXTRA TEN PER CENT. There was an exceptional rush by ratepayers in Wanganui yesterday to pay their rates and so save tiie statutory penalty ot 10 per cent., which is automatically added to ail unpaid rates as from this morning. Although it was not possible to obtain exact figures last night, as cheques forwarded by mail are to oe counted in the total, it. was evident that last year's payments, as on the same date, will be exceeded. It was expected that approximately £13,000 would be collected yesterday. Some £4OOO was paid in the morning and by closing time at the office the register was up near the £12,000 mark. In the afternoon queues were formed at times at the cashier s counter. Big and smalt amoun,t. were paid over in cash and by cheque. One elderly lady, who paid in a few pounds vfhich she took methodically from a handbag, was followed a brisk young girl from the office of a well-known city firm who handed over a cheque for more than £5OO. A little later in the queue a clerk had a cheque for more than £lOOO to be paid in. • “It will not be possible to give the exact figures until Monday," said tire, town clerk (Mr. G. Murch), when asked as to whether the pay-in this year compared favourably with TJ3B “We feel sure that last year's payments will be exceeded."