URUTI NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 113, 29 May 1901, Page 2

URUTI NOTES.

(From a Corespondent.) By invitation (f the settlers Mr. B. A. Hignet!; a mfeting of the settleis in the TJru'i schoolroom on Saturday ev-ning on tfce fo'lowin)? questions : Rating on the unimproved valti3; the Valuation Department and the system of valuing; nnJ harbour mat'ere. The school was well 611 ed acd Mr. George Jupp was voted to (he chair.

In hh opening remarks Mr. Uignett exprts'ei his pleasure in mreting the sjttl.rs giving information cr afsistjnce in the direction indicated, and at the outset explained fully the wot king of the Act authorising rating on the unimproved value, and the methods to ba adnp'ed if the settle's desired to bring it into operation. He >;nv.) a list of the numerous local bodies which have already taktn advantage of tho Act, nuny of which had previously bean debarred o ving to thq stitu'ory number of votes not. being recorded, but which we: or ow able to come within tha provisions owing to the introductio'i of the Voting Reform Act. Tne speaker mai 'ained that the majority of laiid-owne s wer# improver', and s id that he had no sym(.athj with any nyst m which tixed a man on i>c«ount tf (lis industry and 'hti'fc. Fivhor, that u-idcrtbe new syst m, although im qualities would doubile f s creep in, the m>j rity would gain i s ayaiost the uiirority of land speculators. With regard to the Vuluition question, Mr, Hignett pointed out that a periodic re-valuition of ihe colony cost at the present time about £70,000, and the annu il cost of administering the Valua'ion Department amounted to about £30,000 p i annum. These charges were likely to be as more hddings wera taken up, and thespeiker strongly condemned the methods of the Department Ha said tha 1 ; whep the " Government Valuation of Lind Bill" was introduced in 1896 the Min ! s'er stated that "it would ie s ult in a saving of ai> 1.-ar-t 50 per cen 1 . to rath h cal body in the colony," but as an actual fac*

local boards wera being charged thiv-e times as much, and more, and there was endless confusion. Ho gave several

notorious instance! in the Taranaki district, and added that although one ' f the main arguments in introducing 'he Bi 1 was tha 1 : it woul 1 result in a uniform svstem of valuation there did not appear to be a single money-lending Department o? tho S'ate who would ace?pt the valuations of the Department, and 'hat if a Bitil.r eppUed for a loan, the "Advir.ces ti Settlers Offic instead of consulting tho Valuation Dapaitmsnt, sent a special valuer

and charged the seller a fee for the sei v'.cp. He a'so expressed the opinion | that the appointment cf valuers was

often ba«ed upo'i poli'i>al influence] iissbaad of merit and efficiency. j Referring to harbour jpatters, Mr. Higmtt explained fully the details of Mr. Sfcandish's conversion schema, and insisti d that the country was not fairly represented with regard to the nominee t.yst j m. He explained his*recent action OH tQG DOU'U IU ULlUtravuuiii'g (u> recognition of the princip'e that representation ought to he based upon taxat;o", and his lemarks were recdved with loud appkusp.

At the conclusion of his address it proposed by Mr. Wai e and seconded ly Mr. Kelly, that a hearty v-te of thatks be accorded to Mr. Hignett, and a similar compliment to thi Chairman closed tbe meeting.