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I ST. ANN'S (Bethesda). j

IMENAI BRIDGE. -I

I - - - -- BETHESDA. I

NEWBOROUGH. -I

LLANFAIRFECHAN. I

PENMAENMAWR, I

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SHOULD BANGOR UNION BE RE-ASSESSED?

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Dyfynnu
Rhannu

SHOULD BANGOR UNION BE RE-ASSESSED? CONFERENCE AT LLANFAIRFECHAN. LOCAL ILLUSTRATIONS OF INEQUALITY. OVERSEERS AFRAID OF OFFENDING. I A confcrenoo of repreeentativeis of different authorities within the Bangor and Beaumaris Union was held at Lla.nfairiecbaii, on Tuesday .afternoon, to consider the advisability of apply- ing a re-valuation of the Bangor and Beau- llkLt _;Dion. The conference had been arranged on the suggestion of tho Llanfairfechan Urban District Council. Mr J. D. Williams (Llanfairfechan) presided, and the authorities represented were Llanfair- fechan Urban District Council, by Messrs J. Harrison, H. Jores, and- W.G. Roberts; P>e.au- maria Union. Alderman J. H. Burton and Coun- cillor, H. lrimap. Jones Bethesda Rural District Council, Mr J. Roberto and Mr R. Benjamin Evans; Ogwon Rural District Council, Mr G. L. Griffith; Aethwy Rural District Council, Mr J. R. Thomas and Mr R. Roberts. The Chairman explained that the meeting had been called in consoquence of a resolution passed by the Llanl'airfecihan Urban Council. They had received replied from all the Urban District Councils with the exception of Menai Bridge. That from Bangor was not favourable. He did not think they were against the re-assessment of the Un-ion, but they stated that in view of present legislation they thought it advisable to leave things as they were at present. What prompted the Llanfairfechan Council to agitato was the great inequalities which existod in their own district. lie went on to relate several ca,ets. They had old houses rented at £30, and only assessed at B12 15s. They were not so much surprised at this in the case of old houses, but tho same inequality exist.ed with regard to new property. New houses had recently been erected which were rented at C25, and were only assessed at C12. They also had houses rented at at £ 13 10s. On the other hand they had houses on the promenade very highly assessed. For instance, there were houses rented at £40, and assessed at B32 10s; and a house rented at S55 was assessed at E29 15s. Then aain there was a house occupied by the owner which, if let, would be let at £ 20, which was only assessed at C4 10s. They had similar houses situate on the mountain side. Ono wa3 assessed at C21 5s, and the other at S10 5s. They had another house situate in the most ex- pensive part of tho district, which was rated at £ 25, and only assessed at £6 5s. Answering Mr Evans, the Chairman said the figures ho had quoted represented tho rateable value. The Chairman went on to say that they had NO BASIS AT ALL FOR RATING. They had every respect for the overseers, but the figures plainly showeu that at present there was no basis to guide the overseers in assessing the property. They might ask "Why don't s k "Why don't ygu appeal?" and their reply was "What is the uso of appealing?" Two years ago a house situate on the promenade was rented at C45, and assessed at C27 5s. It became empty and consequently the landlord had to reduce tihe rent to £30. The tenant appealed to the Assessment Committee, but although there was a reduction in the rent of £ 15, they only allowed 30s off the assessment. They found that the Conway Union had decided upon a re-aesessment, and the result had been that in 1911, under tho old basis, the rateable valuo waa C307,692 and in 1912, after the re- assessment, the rateable value went, up to £330,732, ¡)0il!tr an increase of £ 23,040. The County Council had increased the rate over 2d in tha J61, aji as their assessment was under the assessment, of tho County Council by a few thousand pounds, it was necessary, in order to meet the call of the County Council, to raise the rale to about 4id or 5d. From what ho had 'bo en able to ascertain it appeared tha.t in Llan- fairfechan at any rate. tho people who paid the greator share share of the rates were the people who were not so Nvell oif and the people who were well off were the peorlo who were under- assessed. Mr Burton: Has there ever been a re-valuation of this Union? The Chairman: Not that I know of. Mr Evans (Bangor) was appealed to. and re- plied that he did not think there had been a re-assessment for many years. Mr Jorss said tihe OVERSEERS HAD THEIR HANDS TIED. When he was overseer and looked at tho rate- book he came across gross oases of neglect. There were two houses, whioh had been recently built, rated at £,35/ and assessed at B15 10s. The over- seers increased somo of them, but before tho mee-ting of the Assessment Committee his col- leaguo sent a letter behind his (Mr Jorss) back. When the new quarries came up for valuation he wrote at oricle, to the Assessment Committee ad- vising them to send down expert engineers to make the valuation, but they replied that the oversk-er,,3 must do it. The truth was that in small places like Llanfairfechan the overseers were afraid of ma-king enemies, and so tihey allowed things to slide. He instanced two cases; one where the house was let at £80 a year on a ten lease, and rated at £30 10s; and the other in which the house was let at £70, and the rateable value was J651. Mr Roberts (Aethwy) said it seemed to him that the people at Llanfairfechan were a little bit afraid of each other. This was their own busi- ness, and not the business of the Union, In- variably the assessment was based on lihe rental. Mr W. G. Roberts said the difforent overseers did not look a.t the cases from the same point of view, and did not take the same basis o? valua- tion all through. Mr Roberts (Aeiihwy) said their district was against re-valuation at present as they preferred to wait until the Government s re-valuation had been completed. j Mr Evans (Bangor) said it ,appeared to him that tho remainder of tho parishes in the Union had a grievance against Llanfairfechan as they wero rated too low. The fault lay entirely with their overseers. They would find on investiga- tion that they were about 1 1 93000 BELOW THE COUNTY BASIS. The county rate assessment for Llanfairfechan amounted to C17,976, but the parochial value was only £ 14,000. Mr Roberts (Aethwy): They ought to pay about C500 more in rates than what they are paying. The Chairman: Yes, but look at tho trouble wo had with the Railway Company that was a very serious matter for Llanfairfechan. Mr Evans: Yes, but t-hat applied to other p Mr W. G. Roberts (LI an fail rfc-chan) said it seemed that Ogwoo and Aethwy had already de- cided that they would not go in for re-assess- ment, so that Llanfairfechan had been hanged" before tho evidence had been heard. Oiiighter). Mr Evans said Mr Lloyd George was preparing the way for a re-assessment so what was the use of having a re-valuation now. Mr Jorss: Do you think that will oomo to anything? ftlr Evans: I am sure. Mr Roberts (Aethwy): A re-valuation would cost about £800. Eventually it was decided, on the proposition of Alderman Burton, seconded by Mr Roberts (Aethwy) to defer the matter for the present.

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