LAND VALUATION.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 252, 1 December 1914, Page 2

LAND VALUATION.

I The Commission Appointed by the : Government to inquire into the fair- ' ness or otherwise of State valuations for taxation purposes has held its ' first meeting at Wellington. The personnel of the Commission,— Messrs T. F. Martin, of Wellington, E. A. Campbell, of Wnnganui, and J. 0. Rutherford, of Auckland- inpires the confident belief that matters will be fairly gone into and

grievances and irregularities redressed. As the report Las to be made by December 21st there is but little time to collect and collate evidence so that it shall be properly and efficiently put before the Commission, and it would be a great pity not to take full advantage of the present opportunity to right the anomalies and injustices so frequently and fairly complained of.

We would advise the chairmen of branches of the Farmers' Union in Franklin, Manukau and Raglan not to wait to got their members together, but to invito, through the medium of our columns, all farmers who have complaints to make, particularly those who feel that the value of their improvements have been improperly sacrificed to inflate the unimproved valuations, to send full particulars uf their cases in writing. From these it will be no difficult matter to find ample evidence to convince the Commission that there was some foundation for the complaints that induced the Government to have the enquiry made. We would remind landowners generally that should evidence not bo forthcoming the Commission will naturally report that there is no cause for complaint against the present system of valuation, and they will have to continue to pay upon tho improvements which the law specifically exempts from taxation.