GOVERNMENT VALUATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8118, 24 May 1906, Page 2

GOVERNMENT VALUATIONS.

OBJECTIONS WITHDRAWN OR I UPHELD.

A sitting of tlie Assessment Court 1 was hold at Now Plymouth on Wednesday. The assessors were Messrs T. Hutchison, S.M., A. Standish and D, Berry. Mr S. Kill, district valuer, appeared ; for the Department, anil incidentally c in support of his valuations. Mr ] J. H. Parkor objected to the . valuation of £3050 (capital value) and £2300 (unimproved value) pl.ieed on his Devon street 'ntral property. After he.iring Mr l J avker and Mr Hill, the Court sustained the valuation. The other objectors wore Messrs A. J. Mcintosh, It. C. llug'ies, and Geo. Hale (Harbour Uo ird Jesses, Hgmont and St. Aubyn streets). In tlieso eases the valuer had merely left the valuations as they previously stood, »nd stated in Court that as they were die property of a local body, he had preferred leaving the Court to assess the values. He further stated th it he considered the rentß paid by the lessees were too high, and as tho old valuations were based on the rentals, he was of opinion the valuations might be reduced, and he had purposely left the Court to fix tho valuation. The Court adjusted these valuations as s follows A. J. Mcintosh, Commonwealth Hotel sections reduced from £si)ls to £5035 (capital value)) R. C. Hughes, reduced from £2OOO to £1750 j George Hale (Trocadero), reduced from £6OBO to Mr G. Gray (Wilson & Gray) appeared for Mr Mcintosh, Mr Malone (Malone, McVeagh & Anderson) for Mr Hale, and Mr B. C. Hughes appeared on his own behalf. Mr 1?. P. Corkill and the valuer (Mr Hill) gave evidence on behalf of the three objectors. Numbers of other objectors wore called, but they failed to put in an appearance, the majority having been satisfied with the Valuer's personal explanations at a recent meeting,' but had not taken the trouble to withdraw the objections. In announcing the assessors' decisions, Mr Hutchison said thoy wished to place on record that, notwithstanding all tfye agitation that had been raised about the valuations, only one freehold objector had appeared, and his valuation had been sustained. The | Court also desired to state that Mr Hill's valuations were carefully and fairly assessed.

The following written objection was sent in by an objector (who, however, failed to appear at Court), and is published as an instance of the spirit animating one class of objectors 1. The land value ofNew Zjaland, as tho present valuations shows, are outside of both justice and reason. The values assesed are not for the ucnelit of the inhabitants of this Colony, but are to enhance the assets of foreign money-lenders. Of justice there is none—of reason there is lefs. 2. Regarding local land value of New Plymouth, the method and manner of valuation are both funny and absurd. It is funny to find a valuator deduct his values by a method of button-holing anil jlreet walking; it is absurd to (ind that a valuator thinks that boom sales, sales manipulated for this purpose should be regarded as the standard of values—a standard which is like to a weather-cock, 3. Re personal valuation. No valuer took the trouble to compare notes with me. Not even to look over the fence. Possibly such a person never came to New Plymouth, The valuations may have all been assessed in the central office, and from instructions. Two roods and 36 perches to-day in Now Plymouth are not worth £1,570. I consider the valuo of that amount of land to be £800; tho unimproved £2OO, and £6OO for aU improvements. 4. 'l'ho extremely high values, the methods of valuing, the invisibility qf the valuers (they should be compelled to woar a special band of yellow and black around their hats), and tho composition of the assessors who yaluo the values are all quickly tending to that state known as there's troublo in

1 tho wind. Jack Cade brained a tax collector in England, Charles I. had his head severed for unjust taxation, the British lost North America from excessive taxes, and, thank God, we New ZeaJanders have as good rifles as the Yankees had on Bunker's Hill.

It is enough to say that the writer of the above, not having appeared to sustain his objection,' is now satisfied with his valuation