WAVERLEY.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 408, 15 March 1879, Page 2

WAVERLEY.

(From our own Correspondent.) The sifting of the Assessment Court commenced on Wednesday last at 11 6’clbck, before C. A. Wray; Esq., Judge. An objection was made by Peter Elmslier to the valuation of town section No. 54. Mr Swmbnrn, Chairman of the Town Board, called Mr Lupton, who stated that he considered the section worth £4O, and about £2 rental. Mr Winchcomb, valuer for the Town Board, valued the section at £6O. The Court reduced the rateable value from £5 to £2 10s.

G. Nicholls objected to valuation made on sections.6, 24, 41, and called Mr Lnptun, who stated that they were worth £3O, £3' J. and £35 respectively. Mr Winchcomb considered every section in the Town worth £SO at the lowest estimate, and had valued the sections at £6O, £6O, and £65 respectively. Bate reduced from £ls to £7 10s. This concluded (lie town business.

The Patea Comity Council objected to the valuation of the Wairoa Highway Board as a whole.

Mr Fitzherbert appeared on behalf of the County, and Mr Bridge for the Board. Mr Bridge raised a technical objection, that the County Council had no standing in this Court, and' had no right as a body to object to the valuation of the Highway Board.

Mr Fitzherbert replied briefly, and Mr Bridge’s objection was overruled. Mr 1 itzlierbert called air Greenway,'who stated; I am a commission agent, and valuer for the Government under the Land Tax Act. I know Mr Bradley’s property of 499 acres, and value it at £3830 ; rateable value at 5 per cent, £l9l 10s ; per acre, is Bd. The value by the Board is 4s 9d. Mr Ghcyne’s I valued in the same manner at 13s, as against Gs 6d value by the Board; Mr J. Peat at 11s 7d, as against 8s Id W. Watkins, 11s, as against 8s 5d ; F, Symes,. 14s, as against 7s 9cl. The witness named about twenty instances in which there was about the same discrepancy. Mr W. Dale stated that lie had been through the Board’s valuation, and considered it 40 per cent, too low. He spoke from Ins general knowledge of the district, and gave several instances in which he considered the valuation too low. He had not been over all the properties, but considered that ho knew enough of them to give a lair estimate of their values.

Mr E. Symes also gave evidence as to the lowness of the valuation.

Mr Bridge, for the Highway Board, called Wilson Milne, valuer for the Board. Mr Milne considered A. Aiken’s laud very poor, the improvements being worth did per acre. On W. McDonald’s land there were few improvements, ami no water. He had valued it too high ; it would not bring £lO per acre. There was no bush on it. William Watkins had about 15 or 20 acres of standing bush, the rest of .the land being in very bad order. J. Peat’s was not first-class land, some of it being very poor. Property was not so valuable this year as it was last. U. 11 timer’s land was not worth more than £8 per acre. He va'ucd Mr Hunter’s and Mr Maihieson’s at nearly the same, on account of the former’s land being in a better position. Air F. Symes’ property was worth from £9 to £lO per acre ; Mathioson’s £l2 ; Bridge’s, £l2. D. and J. Peat’s land was worth £9 per acre, cash; A. Aiken’s, £8 ; U. Hunter’s, £9. Messrs Kenaii and Hawes (forthe Board) also gave evidence, which tended to show that the Board's valuation was low, rather than otherwise. Messrs Bridge and Fitzherbort having briefly addressed the Court, decision was reserved until Wednesday next, at 11 a.in.

At a meeting of the members of the Wairoa Light Horse, Mr Thurston was elected sub-lieutenant, vice Mr J. Old (resigned). I was very sorry to hear that one of the corps considers himself aggrieved by the election, thinking he ought to have had the honor ; and he, as well as some of his friends, who have hitherto been warm supporters of the troop, intend tendering their resignations. This is not the true spirit of volunteering, and if small jealousies of this sort are allowed to crop up, the Wairoa Light Horse will soon lose the name they have had for so long—for efficiency, good fellowship, and unanimity. I hope to hear no more of this matter, and trust that the W. L. H. will see the necessity of adopting for their motto, epluribus unum.

I understand that 600 shares have been already applied for in the Town Hall Company. This will give them a fair start, and so soon as the vexed question of the site has been decided, I hope to. sec work really commenced.