ASSESSMENT COURT

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 452, 8 March 1890, Page 2

ASSESSMENT COURT

TE AROIIA TOWN DISTRICT. The Assessment Court, for hearing and determining objections in connection with the new Valuation Roll forTe Aroha Town District, was held at noon on Tuesday last in the Court House, Te Aroha, H. W. Northcroft, Esq., R.M., Judge. Mr C. Alder, Clerk to the Board, and Mr F. Pavift, Valuator to the Board, were both in attendance. Charles Alder, Clerk to Te Aroha Town Board, stated on oath that notification of the Roll being open for inspection, and every ot'-ef requirement with respect thereto, had been carried out in accordance with the Act. The following objections were then console!ed : 1. ,By Robeit Harris and Jas. Lnvery, who objected (1) That I’obt. Hands, whose name appeared on the said List as (he occnpier of a property, described ns the Public Hail, is not entitled to be inseried in ilie said List because be lias censed to be tne Clminnan of riiiectors of the flail Company. (2) That Jas. Lt very is the occupier of such property being (he Cliahman of directors thereof for the cun-rut year. Signed hi James Lavery, Chairman of directors Te Aroha Public Hall and Reading Room Company, Limited ; Robe t Harris, Secretary and late Chairman of Directors. Ilis Worship asked Mr Pav.itt if ho had anything to say with respect to this request that Mr La very’s name be substituted for tnat of Mr Harris. Mr Pavitt replied he did not think Mr Lavety had asked to have his name put on as Chairman of direetois. Ilis Worship : [ think so, that's how I read it, (hat Mr Lavery’s name he substituted on the Roll for i hat of Mr Hun is, who was not now Cb.< : man Mr Pavitt: I don’t think so Your Worship. That objection I take it simply asks that Mr Harris’ name be removed i'.om the Roll. His Worship : If the objection does no! actually make the request in so many words, it is certainly tantamount to it. Mr Pavitt: I don’t think so. His Worslp'p ruled that the alteration asked for, substituting the name of James Lavery for that of Robert Harris, as Chairman of directors of the Hull Company be made. 2. Brett and Company objected on the ground that the name of John Ilott should be entered on the Valuation Roll as tbeir “ Manager ” (instead of “ Agent ”) and as occupier of the Te Aroha and Oipnemuri News printing and publishing offices. His Worship asked Mr Pavitt if he had any objection to the alteration asked for being made. Mr Pavitt said he did object to the proposed alteration on the ground that a copy of the objection had not been lodged with the local body. Mr Ilott being in Court, His Worship asked him if he had anything to say to that. Mr Ilott said lie did not consider it was necessary under the circumstances to forward a copy of the request made to the local body, as he drew Mr Pavitt’s attention to the matter personally, who assured him “ Agent ” was equivalent to “Manager ” in the event of his desiring to exercise a vote for the firm ; but as there was no provision in the Act (in default of the firm nominating any one) for an “ Agent ” being entered on the Roll, whereas there was for “ Manager," he desired to bring the matter under Ilis Worship’s notice. If His Worship ruled however, that his name being entered as Agent entitled him to vote on behalf of the firm he repiesented, he had no deßire to have any alteration made. If the objection raised were of such a nature as to in any way alter what the Valuator had expressed to him was his intention to have done, he (Mr Ilott) would have lodged a copy of the objection with the local body, but it simply raised the question, was Agent or Manager the correct term under the circumstances. Mr Pa\ itt: The Act says a copy of any objection shall be lodged with the local body. His Woisbip to Mr Pavitt: I may tell jrou Mr Ilott iodged an objection to the , Valuation Roll as a whole, on the groqnd that Section (2 of The Rating Act, 1876, lias not beep complied Vfith, no notice having b.een sent 16 those whose names i appear on the Valuation Roll. Now were 1 those notices si.nt as required by thp Act i or no(; ? Air Pavitt: No Sir : His \\orship : Then it should have been done; the Act Baj’s it shell lie done. The Section as follows Notice of

any Valuation made by any valuer shall be given to every person whose name appears on the Valuation List." Mr Pavitt : Read on a little further* Your Worship. His Worship: Yes. “Provided always that the omitting to give such notice shall not invalidate any valuation " But surely vou do not suppose that last cluuse does away with the necessity of sending out notices to every person whoso name appears on the Valuation List, so as to give them an opportunity of objecting if they desire to do so, seeing the Act most clearly says such notices shall in every case be sent. This last clause referred to by yort was added afterwards, so that a rate might not be upset as a whole, though an accidental omission to send the required notice to some person or persons; but it vVas never placed there so that the sending out of notices might be dispensed with. However, I find Mr Ilott lias written withdrawing his objection to the Valuation List because of the omission to send notices, and lias therefore met you thus far, and surely you don’t desire to cavil on the point you have raised wirii respect to his name being inserted as Manager instead of Agent. Alteration made from Agent to Manager, us requested. 3. Objection from John Ilott, that his name appeared on the Roll as occupier of Section 18, Block, whereas Elizabeth liott’s name should appear on the List for the section referred to, and did so appear on last year's List, since when no change in occupancy or ownership of said section has taken place. His Worship to Mr Pavitt : Have you any objection to this alteration being made. Mr Pavitt : No Your A’orship: Alteration made substituting the name of Elizabeth Ilott for that of John Ilott, with respect to the section referred to. His Worship to Mr Pavitt : The fact of so few objections being made by ratepayers, and none on the part of the Board, shows that your valuation Was a good one and satisfaetoiy to both sides. This Was all the business.