VALUATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 114, 11 June 1909, Page 4

VALUATIONS.

CIRCULARS TO VALUERS. The following communication hus been sent by Mr. Peter lleyes, ValuerOcnera'l, to every valuer'throughout N.iw Zealand :- "So much prominence is given to the question of insufficient valuation for fmprovemrats' that T again wish to impress upon District Valuers the necessity for viewing this question in a serious 'manner. The matter is constantly brought up in the House of Representatives, and the standard abjection before the Aswssliwnt Court is that the unimproved value is inweased while an insufficient amount is allowed for iniproveniKits. When the unimproved values in ,u!io Dominion were admittedly low the value of improvements was not seriously challenged, but now that the values are nearer the selling values, it is neccssiirv for District Valuers to see that the value of improvements , w il] stand a careful analysis. The practice of supplying field-books with full (particulars of the previous valuation has not in all cases' been rightly appreciated, and I do not want yalucrs to think that when the unimproved value has been raised and the value of improvements left undisturfied, that they have not met all the requirements of a revision. Moreover, when an owner in the Assessment Court is nlble to show that there are more improveimcnts and of a greater value than tlioffc shown by fjlie valuer, the effect is ito discredit the valuation and give rise ,to the accusation that the Department has but one object in view—namely, the increase of the •unimproved value for purposes of taxation. It must be apparent to every District Valuer that the nearer we get to a. standard value, the closer the scrutiny of the methods w.lrcreliy the value is arrived at, and I expel every valuer to lie in a position it calfrn upon to siho-w that lie has' knowledge of all improvements and their value, ami , to be able to prove to the satisfaction of the Court and the objector that he has made full allowance tor all existing improvements, and that hi* valuation is a fair one in the terms of the Act."