Land Values.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 241, 11 April 1895, Page 2

Land Values.

At the Kiwitea County Assessment Court on Tuesday, the Hon J. Bryce, who^ppeared in support of his objection to the talue placed on his property (£6 5a an acre) by the valuer, in a lengthy discussion pointed out that since last valuation, three years ago, the prices of stock and wool had suffered a considerable fall and he contended that land values should have been reduced in sympathy with the markets. He considered the only i true and just method of valuing was j on the productive and not the Belling value, Mr Stanford, 8.M., concurring in this opinion. Mr E. Goodbehere, the Council's valuer, in combatting that view said it was impossible to get at the productive value of a farm, as such land gave a return according to the capabilities of a manager. If a farm was badly managed it could not be expected to give the same return as one well-managed. He said land bad advanced 20 to 30 per cent in this district during the past three years and if Mr Bryce'B property vras put in the market it would bring from £9 to £10 an acre. If a reduction was made on Mr Bryce's property, a similar reduction should, in fairness, be made over the whole of tho County. Mr Stauford said it mattered not what some new chum might be induced to give for land, he was bound to take into consideration that the yalue of produce had decreased and thought land had not increased in value. He accordingly made a reduction in Mr Bryce's case to the old valuation.