MONDAY, APRIL 19, 1909. A FARMER'S GRIEVANCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 485, 19 April 1909, Page 4

MONDAY, APRIL 19, 1909. A FARMER'S GRIEVANCE.

The complaint of the Auckland Farmers' Union against the Government's systom of land valuation is by no means an exclusive grievance, nor is it a new one. The President, of the Union stated, according to a Press Association message published on Saturday, that if the continual increase of valuations of' land by the Government went on much longer, their freehold land would not be worth holding. "There was too much taxation of land, and it was time for farmers, to organise and protest against the present system of rating, which played into the hands of the land speculator, and was iniquitous and unfair to the farmer.," The Union decided to take stops to hold conferences of farmers at suitable places throughout the province, for the purpose of considering the advisablcncss of bringing influence to bear upon the Government "to get the present valuation system changed for one morn practical and fairer to the farming community." It i 3 notorious that the. valuations put upon land for taxation and other purposes

have lor jc.a ~jst been steadily raisuJ by the Government valuers, and the system has "played into the hands of the land speculator" in two ways, When valuations aro fixed too high, from a natural desiro to make the best of a property from which the State will glean proportionate taxes, the speculator naturally benefits by the argument afforded him for selling neighbouring properties at a similar valuation. But there arc occasions when he really fixes tho amount of the exaggerated State valuation, by which he is going to profit. In a district newly opened up for settlement, or a district where re-valuations arc about to be made, a few-private-sales, which seem to bo of a bona fide character, are easily arranged 'at advanced prices by persons who have other,.large;land transactions in view, and on these salesithc Government's Valuations are very often based, with the result that the syndicate or large owner concerned has generally no trouble—or. had none in tho days of "boom"—in selling neighbouring 'sections at an' inflated price. Often, too, a fancy price is paid for a property for special reasons—possibly, by an adjoining owner—and influences surrounding Vvalucs. : i

An elaborate attempt is made by the Land Valuation Act to guard against unfair valuations, but it is more elaborate than useful. The, owner. who objects to a valuation may incur the expenso and trouble of taking his protest to the Assessment Court, where the!ordinary layman finds it difficult to substantiate his case againstitho State officials. If he is not satisfied with the Court's decision, hemay require the Valuer-General either to reduce to the value which he considers to be. the fair selling value, or else to purchase; the property at that value. It is' obvious,; however,, that" an owner might be willing to endure a considerable measpre; of injustice rather, than, sell up his .property. Pending ah alteration in the present system, it is only reasonable that tho farmer; who has had: his valuations, and therefore taxes, increased regularly on each pretext: of improved prosperity, should be allowed to feel a loosening of the screw in a time like tho present, when it cannot bo said that land .values are the same as they were twelve months'ago. It may bo argued that at,the.present time, with a falling revenue; the' Government can least afford to lessen its taxation, but an impecuniosity for which, after all, thj Government has .largely its past extravagance to blame, sinco it refused to foresee a rainy day, is not the slightest reason why one section of the community should bo taxed unfairly. , :