VALUATION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 667, 18 November 1909, Page 8

VALUATION.

■' ■' Sir,—There, is no subject so frequently mentioned ill ■ the House is land , values aid land valuers, and' especially ' towards the latter' is very little sympathy shown: . I shall be glad to'get spaco in your valuable paper toventilate the matter,.as I understand it, after practically working the Valuation Act in the field ever since it was pas&d. . While smarting, under every increase of taxation, few • care to trouble themselves to consider the importance ,of the Valuation Department, and the grave responsibility thrown upon the valuer. There cannot be a more important branch of the civil service, for the-correction .and the equitable adjustment of the taxation of the whole , colony, and the safety of the millions lent, depends upon it. The qualifications of a valuer deserve' no mean place: Morally, he should be a high-class man, intel- ■ lectualiy no fool, his training deserves a chair in our colleges. New Zealand,-as a whole,-has a good civil service. The heads of the various Departments are all able men. Elsewfcerc I have known. .Bleu, armed with similar noTvers, toadies to the Ministers' above them, courteous enough to .members and the public, but tyrants and unapproachable to those under them. None-of our men come under that class. All owe theij positions to personal worth, and none merely to Ministerial or other influence.

There is in saving often great waste. It ■ was, in my opinion, a retrograde step to remove Mr. Campbell, the late Valuer-General, from-the' Vainer-Generalship. He was in a 6fflise the creator of the Valuation* Act, thoughtfully studied its working, and improved •it from time to time by his suggestions., One of the most able men I have ever known, al- : ways open to discuss principles, firm in his convictions, bnt with Scotch 'cantion careful in •making, them,and a gentleman. It is, true our present Valuer-General is a' clever man; but it was the height of cruelty to load him with the; oontrol of so many , Departments, and ■ expect him. to do jnstioe to each. \ After all, the real work is done by the vainer. •, H<sw very seldom are his reports questioned, either in the revision of a district of on the lending of thousands? • I have said he. should be morally sound, i He is always exposed ; to bribery, and unless he is a mart of sterling integrity, with the miserable, salary he gets,, he must often be tempted. He should bo tactfnl, and of good address, able to maintain the dignity of the responsible position he holds, either when discussing lvalues, or when' he sits down to dinner ,with the family: of. the most- cnltnred squatter or at tho table of the humblest eettler. Above all, he must know his work-to inspire ' confidence; and be of good, judgment. 'll ■ \i->' ■ • ■' Two CTeat _ mistakes were; made , lately in the heat of panic and the, need "of retrenchment. 'Some of the most-, experienced valuers'were dispensed with. ■' All tlieir acquired' knowledge, after years of service, lost to the State,. and their places filled bj cheaper, men. -Some were removed' from districts every section of'which /itas known, to them, , and sent elsowlicre'to begin afresh their education. It. was not' that they had, too little work to do. None were idle men. And now, with the..;, greater l need there' will be for valuations-for money advances the present men, who afe already overworked, cannot' possibly overtake■ the...revising, workthat should be dqhe. ' There -iyll-have to';be .now men appointed. A, valuer cannot-be made in a day. It; takes years for him to learn his district and mature his' judgment, and the risks, are so' great that no junior from the office-stool can be trusted with safety. In'my opinion, there is much to bo done to undo what has been done lately. .» .. . In a subsequent letter I: hope to be permitted to discuss the work .of a valuer, his ■ qualifications, and dare to. offer, some suggestions as to .system,—l am, etc., I ; ' EOBT.GARDNER. Palmerston North. • . -' s |