LAND VALUATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 156, 27 November 1914, Page 2

LAND VALUATION.

4f ASSESSMENT COURT CRITICISM. Wellington, November 25. A sitting of the Valuation of Lands Commission is now being held in Wellington. At to-day's sitting Mr L. 0. 11. Tripp appeared on behalf of certain leaseholders and freeholders who had recently been before the Assessment Court. He dealt first with the constitution of the court, and said objectors could not expect to get any 'justice unless they had a representative on the arbitrating body, In the cases which ho referred to he did not suggest that the gentlemen who acted as assessors were, in in any way dishonest, but they were appointed by a body whose interest it was to keep up values, and their natural bias was against objectors. To his mind the court was un-English, as objectors had no chance. Before they went there, they knew that, therefore, very few objections had been made recently. Another point which objectors wished required into was the method of arriving at u valuation. They thought that productivity should be the consideration. Mr Tripp quoted one case in which .121)0 a foot was paid for what he valued at £l2O. The sale was made , because the purchasers, a wealthy Arm, .wanted the freehold of the land. Sales did not indicate the value, as the real test was productivity. A good deal of further argument was heard, and the Commission adjourned.