SATURDAY, FEB. 11, 1899.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Issue 38, 11 February 1899, Page 2

SATURDAY, FEB. 11, 1899.

Th^ movement in favour of unimproved value has advanced another stage in Waimate Borough. The committee appointed by the Bortragh Council to look into the subject has reported the majority of the ratepayers -Will be beneficially affected, and suggested that the Council should favour the taMng of a poll should the ratepayers requisition the Mayor 1 as required by the Act. It was decided to bring the matter up again at next meeting. As there is still a doubt in some quarters as to how the system proposed to be introduced will affect difterent ratepayers, We will perhaps be pardoned if we go somewhat fully into the matter again* tfnder the present system of rating on annual value, the Borough ratepayer is required to pay a shilling in the pound on What property brings or might be expected to bring in as yearly rent. Thus a quar« ter-acre section Worth £12, situated in a back street on the west side of the town, has a cottage and other improvements making a total value of about JlOO. The borough rate on the property is at present 14s a year. Eight in the principal part of the town, on the other hand, is a piece of land valued at £1 60, but for Which the owner would not take £800.

The owner pays 5s a year. Here \*e have a section, the 1 uniniproved value of which is .£l2, paying 14s in rales, while One twelve times in value pays only s>. 'The owner of the .£l2 section, a poor 1 man, has unproved his holding, putting some money and a great deal of labour into it, and is compelled to pay 14<?. The owner of the .£l5O section is wealth y. The section irt its present condition' is uti eyesore to the town, and a positive det< - rioration to the adjacent properties, but "i only required to Contribute 5s a ye;u. Such examples could easily be multiplied. The amount raised by a shillliig rate on the annual value is £351. To raise an equal amount on unimproved value would require a rate of 3d in the £. That is to say the owner of the =£12 section, who at present pays 14s at year, would only require to pay 3?, While the owner of the £150 section, who will not improve the property hiniself or give anyone else a reasonable chance to do so, will require td pay £1 17s 6A instead of 5s a year toward the expenses of the borough. Eatepayers know from experience that thjjjaKmyjibjJuxj}^^ on theirjholdmggjhe higher the fate will be. If a property is allowed to fall into disrepair*, tke rate is reduced, as, of course 1 , the letting value of the place is lower. Iri short, the present system Is all against improvement, and ajdjrectencouxage. < PTeat_to_leaving- propftrtyiTTrrTfisi^^nK]^ condition. There is no need for us to go farther into that aspect of the question. It has been discussed thoroughly again and again by all owners of improved property. There is, however", another view of the subject, of Which not So much notice has been taken. \Vhy_have_sp many ppoplo^gonejo the Dry Eush^to _Painsto_vvn, td Parsonage^ Paddogk, to j'igjher'T'Paadock^ and other plages-oul^. SJdj_iibla^boxough. for a piece nLland_oii_ ■tj^ichj^^bjuj^djij^^ 4*n°jl£^jva£ajitjsj3(^^ 7 Simply because the snenuj ft. tor's \yhoJ}ruLgrab^ed_the laud would not sell at fair piices« and could afford to hold on while paying only nomp nal taxes. The town clei'k, Mr E. G, Baxter, has gone to the trouble of preparing a I*oll setting out the uniniproved value of every property in the town, and will be pleased to explain to any rate^ payer the difference the change Would make in individual cases. A petition is being promoted asking the Mayor to cause a poll to be taken, to decid* whether or not rating on unimproved Values shall be adopted in Waiuaate. It is very desirable that the petition should be largely signed, and ratepayers who have not yet put theft names to it can do so by calling at the shop of Mr T. H. Mann, saddler, Queen Street, this evening.