Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 1895. As to Valuer,

Manawatu Herald, 13 April 1895, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 1895. As to Valuer,

♦ Gentlemen who for the sake of gain undertake the duties of valuers have much to answer for. In the first place acting in accordance with the declaration they are required to make before commencing their duties, viz., promising to act faithfully and impartially, they are supposed to, j and probably do, make out a valuation to the best of their ability. Whether they are competent to do

so is another question, which those valued higher than they consider they should be, have lnttly, in many districts*, boon oxpvoss-.ing their doubts. The selection of a competent vainer ig nn important point and the local bodies, in many instances, have appointed their clerks to act in this capacity. We notice, in the case of the Kiwitea objection?, it is urged that clerks should not be appointed, and the S.M., Mr Stanford is reported as having said that he " agreed that it was intended by the Act that offices should be held by different persous." With all due deference to the Magistrate we regret being unable to agree with his assertion, the only colourable suggestion for this reason being found in section 8 of The Eating Act 1804 " authorising any local authority to appoint and remove 11 one or more fit persons to be called valuers," and may assign and pay to them such salaries or emoluments as the local authority thinks fit. The question as to the wisdom of appointing a permanent officer of a local body to this position is open to much argument, and the only one in favour of it is the one ot cost, as it is easier for the clerk to obtain information from the records in the office than it would be to one outside. Waiving this we object very much to such appointments. They place the clerk in a very peculiar position towards the large ratepayers and probably members of his Board,' it being an unseemly sight, for say, the majority of the Board objecting to the valuation made by the clerk, and which, if sustained, would leave an unsatisfactory feeling in -.the minds of the objectors who lost, and which might, human nature being so much the same, cause a difficulty about continuing or certainly ngainst the increasing of that official's salary when suggested at a future date. Under this ! system it makes the performance of his duty difficult to the clerk, and thus introduces a doubt as to its being well done. The right man for a valuer is a practical farmer, one who works a farm and understands the various difficulties besetting a settler — as the value of a property is not what some one is willing to give for it, as the would be buyer might be ignorant of farming, but the value by the profit realised from a proper working of the land. Valueing is an expensive enjoyment, but to be worth anything, must be well done. We do not see why the system the Government nearly got into working order under the Land . Tax Act should not have been continued leaving the local bodies to amend and revise from time to time. Valuations need, to be fair, to be be carried out on one basis right over the colony, and this can only be secured by a State department.