LAND VALUATIONS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2292, 28 October 1914, Page 8

LAND VALUATIONS

AN INQUIRY TO BE HELD

BETTER APPEAL NEEDED

The numerous complaints regarclinp; Government land valuations were referred to in tho House of Representatives yesterday. Mr. D. H. Gutlirie (Oroua), who psked tho Primo Minister a question on tho subject, said that tho complaints had been voiced not only in the petitions recently presented to tho Houso, but also in.' a number of lettors receivod by members of the House. Tho Lands Committee, in reporting on tho petitions had recommended them to the Government for favourable consideration. Ho wished to know whether tho Government had taken any steps to givo effect to this recommendation. Tho Primo Ministor said that tho matter had already been under tho consideration of tho Government. Although tho Cabinet had not yet coino to a fnwl decision, ho thought he was justified in saying that tho report of the Committee would receive favourable consideration. An inquiry beforo which those who had grievances could givo ovidence would bo arranged for. Complnints had como not only from Auckland, but also from Wairarapa and tho City of Wellington. He thought that a better form of appeal than tbat now afforded by the Assessment Courts should be provided. A Stipendiary Magistrate and one or two citizens would probably form the inquiry. Tho Government would do everything possiblo to facilitate the holding of a full inquiry. Mr. Slassoy_ read the following memorandum, which ho had addressed to the Valuer-General: "Recontly quite a number of. complaints have, reached rao regarding valuations which are taking placo in different parts of tlia Dominion. The complaints nearly all go in the same direction, namely, that improvements.are not being sufficiently oxempted. Tho complaints are so numerous and emphatic that I cannot help coming to tlho conclusion that there are grounds for them. I therefore givo. directions for you to make your valuers understand that it is not the policy or tho intention of the Government to inflate values or to tax. improvements which ought to be, and are intended to be, exempted under the Act." Mr. Massey added that even after he had sent this to the ValuerGeneral ho had received complaints, and ho had ■ therefore concluded that some iuanirs was necessary.