SHOULD LANDS BE RATE FREE?

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 45, 23 February 1939, Page 8

SHOULD LANDS BE RATE FREE?

DIVERGENCE OF OPINION EFFECT OF HIGHWAY BOARD SUBSIDIES Tuesday night’s rally of farmers at Makirikiri, at which the major portion of the North Island was represented, discussed and approved of a policy of farming lands being free of rates. At a meeting of the Wanganui Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union yesterday, Mr. W. Morrison, vice-president of the New Zealand Counties’ Association, said that the association did not approve of that, but of the present policy of making increasing use of funds found by motorists and expended by the Main Highways Board. Speaking at Makirikiri, Mr. N. A. Hunt (Stratford) said that conditions had vastly changed from the horse days, yet there were farmers in the back country paying rates for the metalling of roads which had been metalled 20 and 30 years ago. Mr. Morrison said that there were now 4000 miles of main highways being maintained entirely by the State. There were 12,000 miles of highway altogether and of the other 8000 the Highways Board gave a subsidy of £3 for £l. Not a Fair Proposition “The Farmers’ Union says that there should be a total derating ol farm lands,” Mr. Morrison added, “and that the motorist should pay the lot. Is that a fair proposition? I would say that it is not, and we are not likely to get it because we will have too many against us. People in Lhe cities will say they want derating, too, and they have you beaten because they have the voting strength. “We should go along gradually and use highway funds. The £5,000,000 the board has to spend will not go as far as £3,000,000 went a few years ago." Mr. Morrison said that if the quota of petrol tax taken for the Consolidated Fund was made available to the Highways Board it would help considerably and it would obviate having to borrow the large sum the Government was borrowing now.). Mr. W. Peat (Wanganui) pointed out that, notwithstanding the increased expenditure of highway funds, rates on farm lands were increasing instead of decreasing. “I know that,” Mr. Morrison replied, “but where would you be if lhe highway funds were not available?” Mr. H. W. Littlewood (Raetihi) at Makirikiri, referred to the incidence of taxation in the back areas of the King Country “The cost and maintenance of roads is quite unfair,” he said. “The horse age has gone and the State has taken over the main arterial roads, but we still have in small special rating areas, men who rated themselves to metal roads 20 and 30 years ago and are still paying for it. Why should the farmer be handicapped in his production to pay for a : road which was laid down 20 years j ago?”