THE Ellesmere Guardian. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1921. GOVERNMENT LAND VALUATIONS.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XXIV, Issue 4253, 9 March 1921, Page 2

THE Ellesmere Guardian.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1921. GOVERNMENT LAND VALUATIONS.

With which is incorporated The Ellesmere Chronicle. Published at Leeston, Canterbury, N.Z

- It seems to us that th,e Ellesmere County Council has just cause for complaint in regard to the result or the re-valuation of the county recently carried out by officers of the Government Valuation Department. What explanation the Department has to offer concerning the difference in the percentage ot increases in the three ridings we do not know, but that the state oi affairs existing at present is altogether unsatisfactory must be, - apparent to anyone who gives the matter any thought at all. but especially to those who take an interest m local government. In the hrst place, there is the annual levy made towards the maintenance of the institutions under the control f^^rtli Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. These levies are made, on the rateable value of the county, so that in. the case under notice Leeston riding will be called upon to pay a much greater proportion of the lew than the. other two ridings, and Southbridge will have to pay a {greater proportion than Irwell - j Ihenm regard to what may be j called county works or general account payments the position will . ; be unfair It is absurd to say that j land in the Leeston riding has adj yanced just on 50 per cent since the previous valuation while the I Irwell riding valuations have gone j up only 12$ per cent, and Southbridge riding values 28 per cent. | Any increase.in values there may have been lias^ been ' general v . i throughout the whole county It is the business of the County Coun- , cil to see that the re-valuations are ; cAi-ned out on a fair and reason- ~J ; able basis and the council would be . neglecting its duty if it did not ! call the attention of the Depart- m.menftp the injustice which exists, irrespective of whether the Department thinks the council has a right to interfere or not. Why the Department should nave sent out men to make these _______________B &-

re-valuations at a time when no ._^ one, however extensive his experiW ence may have been, could accurately gauge the values of land iis j puzzling to most people. . Was it a case of finding something for its officers to do? Or was the object to collect .extra land tax without actually increasing the rate of taxation? Whether intentionally or not, the Department had* the work done, in the Leeston riding at any rate, when land values were at the very highest point, due to .the abnormal prices ruling for everything produced on a farm, and the great demand for farms for soldiers. Had there been any grounds for believing that the high prices had .come to stay, the decision to have the revaluations carried out at such a time would have been quite justified, but there were no grounds at all for believing that such would be the case. And the work should have been done throughout the whole county at the one time, not in piecemeal fashion. The valuation should have been left until there was some reason to believe that conditions were nearly normal. In view of the present outlook, farmers are riot feeling at all pleased over the matter, and it . ? looks as though some of those in 41 the Leeston riding whose valuations have soared very high will have their work cut out to make ado of things. The County Council should endeavour to get a '; revaluation made at the earliest opportunity, if only to secure uni- ,: formity between the three ridings.