ASSESSMENT COURT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1468, 17 June 1912, Page 3

ASSESSMENT COURT.

RIDDIFORD ESTATE VALUES,

OBJECTIONS HEARD. When the Assessment Court resumed sittin" on Saturday morning, Br. A. M'Arthur, S.M., presfdod. and sitting with him ns assessors were Messrs. G. Harper and 11. K Leighton. Objections were raised to the values placed on six properties in the Hiildifonl Estate, Lower Hutt. The land was valued at various prices per acre, the aggregate value being .£61,328. . Mr. A. K. S. Mackenzie appeared for the objectors, and Mr. G. H. Fell represented the Valuation Department. Vivian Riddiford, trustee in the estate of the late E. J. Riddiford, who, prior to Mr. Kkldi ford's death, had been man- ' aging the Hutt properties, declared that tile "estate was paying about .£.IOOO (tor year in l.uul tax u'n the .Uiitt property— 'made up nf .£I7OO graduated tax on unimproved value, £YM local rates, and ,Cl!!0 Kivor lirmnl. i'art of the land was leased, ami a s'i'oat part of it was used for "TLiziu". .It was most unprofitable, i\nd showed a not 10-s of .£2:100 per annum. The trustees wvre very iinxiims to -fW. Til hi? father's liMiine, witne-s liad nndopvourcd to sell Iho propevty. without Riicce-f. The trus-tw would srll now at the prices AURi.-05.tfd, plus improvements. To Mr. l>11': Thi! Inle Mr. ljuldiloril may havo received offers for thr aiul. T.hpr<> may hevo tnlk of a jalc »i boom-tiniß, tut sitness could not e&y

for ccrlain. Did ii.oi -kiiw' Oip vaiirc_ t> the land per looty ;ijifr: biilj;: lic'r acfe uw not thiiik it co'iilif--lifvsoldi-'bjf .ouWiMB up. What would- lyp.'-tho. uso.. dt--ciit.ti.!i,s : up with tho Willoiigliby Kiiislit fetalo-lj-ins cut up next. dp.pr:,.,and . docks? ■' ' . . . . . Mr. Ml, on behalf: df- five. D.Ppaii.nuMit,. suliniittud that tlHi.vaiiips, imi<f<? by .t.lie ■ JJepartment were :fair- an(l-..u.ii.!ior.r.iv- I'll''- : tlK'i-, they pliowe(l/a..rS(Ui.ct.i:qn of M» per aero on the. -ya'Jj'iw acpepteid. -by Ul.e : owners last yeaii. lib wpii.ld call cvj- ' °Gco'rgc Halliday-,' 'G.oyernn.vcn.t. Y-iilucV, indicated tho prVc-^'.iliai-.tail i^ 11 «ft upon the sßclions/ : at,- .TOiifr s. Tiiiw Wl . Waiwctu. These.' values. shp|Vc.(l: a retnifs-. ticm on the valufe rif thfi im*"*, r°f: \ Witness Kaye particiilavi'A't iJiltcreM that had taken -place; aii.iV. had b«<mi>£ on the value l -'. ■.-. ■ .■. . (■■ To llr. Jlackeiizie; iuijhorised. valuer for the WeliinKfon. suburban- dip diet-:. Had tlier siiiio: information..«» llr. Mnrtin, win * r.in ode... tliese'; .yaVuntioiis. Did not take MrQla-rtm/i-i. >g;ir.p.s, bl(t the probability wrts:"t.Ka£:t My WP'M'L- 8 !-' rive at the sanit;' ■c.oncl.usi.p.n.. -I'.He.fc? ■ values were, in by- witness in coniiii'cti'oii, ~witn.,-! M r:. >;!ar.wi!. ■ Witness did notl-'th'inkvJthat thmjfS \yere ■ any worse in the; Hutt--tins' .year than-, they wcro last. ..Tliere were more .sale.? there than peoplec'tlioiiglifc' -.. . a :/ . In further cross-«iam!.natipn,, Witness admitted that taxishoiiid:-belaid on. tl.>epresent liiarkctable.-v.alue'.-- ,'. .;. Mr. J[aclanzie:^P,6/.y§u : intfiT, th«.prp : porty the Governnien'fc'.pu.rchasedja.t: Aav 1 Mr. «lib\ir-Whether it has been sold §pld,. has it? ' •.'-.■. :., ' ;' -. '; H■ '. ~, Dr. M'Arthurir-'Olii.jno.lv'arid-bo sold, citlier.-'-:-y.6u',w-net going: latrot that old horse;.out. ~ ...... This closed totho White's LineS ; scctipnsi:»;:Tne i: ;Uun expressed tho unaniniouippiniflnitnat tne. values should W.-Wstairiecl.v. ~' '^yp,;.^ In regard to 3 ; H .-./ acres:.. Knighfe Road, - : the evidence of and auctioneer, whpVtcstifiea,;to;;::the' fail;

iu values. '?£■■<>'.. . : .: : .*-;X; v-; . ..i : sw The Court was ; "-unaniinquslj: ■w: tne opinion that the? falue'.'ipf ;;th'is'.property should be >o .£175 per acie. ■X , * i^"4..'"'.':."'..', ;;,".■ .'• ■ As to the remaining:.sections^.Acres at Woburn and ll.acresrUhe.H.oWS.^ai;). at Ferngrove— that; tjio, values must be sustained;.'/*. . ... ;