ANNUAL VALUE RATING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26621, 18 November 1947, Page 3

ANNUAL VALUE RATING

Reply to Rev. D. H. Stewart

At last night’s meeting in the Wear Street Hall a reply was given to tne recent address on rating on unimproved values delivered by the Rev D. H. Stewart. The Mayor, Mr J. Kirknesa, said he regretted that the meeting was necessary, but Mr Stewart had made statements which could not be allowed to go unchallenged. Mr Kirkness said he sincerely regretted that Mr Stewart should have made such unkind references to the vendor of a section which had been purchased by a returned soldier, knowing full well that the vendor had to abide by the decision of the Land Sales Committee set up to protect returned soldiers and others. The vendor of the section was a highly respected citizen and the mother of three sons, all of whom were in, the services. Coming to the vital part of Mr Stewart’s address when he said; “If you want your individual assessments, get in touch with Mr D. S. Bain or myself,” Mi Kirkness said a justice of the peace who was at this meeting, called on Mr Bain and could not get his individual assessment, only what Mr Bain thought it might be. Further; Mr Stewart' had said that theofficer in charge of the Valuation Department had stated that the Government values for rating purposes would be 29 per cent, lower than Land Sales values. Here was the vital answer, Mr Kirkness said, in the from of a telegram received from the Valuation Department; ' No statement has been made by any officer of this department that the new revision values for Oamaru Borough will be 20 per cent, less than Land Sales figures.” Further. Mr Kirkness said, Mr Stewart had led Thursday’s meeting to believe that he had the basis of the new revised Government values. The department s replv in a further telegram was; “ Information afforded Messrs Stewart and others related solely to sales effected in Oamaru Borough during recent years. No information relating to the new values was supnlied nor can be supplied to anyone until after the district is gazetted for revaluation." Tire meeting was well attended. Questions held over from previous meetings were clarified bv Messrs Kirkness and Familton. who also answered the many questions asked by members of the audience.