Department wants County Council to withdraw objection

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 45, 10 June 1965, Page 1

Department wants County Council to withdraw objection

Taupo County Council is to employ a private valuer in an endeavour to reach agreement on a representative section of Mangakino properties. Council made this decision on Tuesday following a deputation from members of the Valuation Dept. During discussion, the district valuer, Rotorua, Mr C. A. Harris, told members that if the council' s objections to the department's valuation of Mangakino went to litigation, "we ( the department) vcould get tossed out on our ear and be given the cane for issuing a roll at all."

Mr Harris, with the branch manager of the department at Hamilton, Mr E. W. Rossiter, formed a depntation to the council at its meeting on Tuesday. The departmental officers made an offer to the council, conditienal on the council withdrawing its objection to the valuation. In November last the department issued its valuations for the township and the council entered a block objection. At the time, it was stated that values were too 3ow and that many properties had been left off the roll. With both annual estimates and the triennial elections approaching, the council is anxious to complete the valuation roll and has urged the department to take any action necessary to achieve this end. Or U. R. MacDonald told the council that if the department had started when the objections were made in November, the matter would have been cleared up by now. "Mangakino is entitled to get off on the right foot," he said. Replying to a suggestion that the revaluation should be done in 12 raonths' time, if the department increased the value of the commercial property and

added. 80 new ratepaj^ers to the roll, Cr MacDonald, said that would penalise those whose values were incorrect. "The department appears loath to dispute the objections in court." The county clerk, Mr C. J. Coates, said there were some 330 assessments at present. Mr Harris told the council he had been responsible for the valuation of Mangakino. It had been prepared on the basis of the movement of property up to that time. The objections to the valuation had not yet been resolved and in meetings with the riding member (Cr MacDonald) he "had been unable to reach agreement. "I cannot action sthese objections or add any further properties to the roll while the objection stands. "I suggest you withdraw your objection on the undertaking that the department will, if Maraetai 2 goes ahead and the evidence war-

rants it, revalue the town at any time. "We will inerease the value of the shopping centre and are prepared to adjust some anomalies which have taken place due to lack of information at the time." Mr Rossiter said the dej)artment contended most of the residential properties were fairly valued. Later Cr MacDonald said: What concerns me is that for seven months the department has taken no action on the objections. At no stage in the discussions which have taken place has anything arisen which would give them grounds for delay. Now they want us to withdraw our objection. At this -stage, Mr Harris made his statement that if the matter went to court, it would "get tossed out on its ear." Mr Rossiter: Is it worthwhile? Mr Coates: That is a matter we would have to ask Treasury Department. . After furtber discussion, the council resolved to employ a private valuer to value a representative section of the properties in agreement with the department. The matter will be without prejudice.