STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 May 1922, Page 6

STRATFORD.

STRATFORD AGENCY. Advertisements and items of news for publication in the Taranaki Daily News should be left at the office of our local repnesentatative. Mr. W. H. Humphrey, Broadway, Stratford. Orders for papers may also be left with him. BOROUGH VALUATIONS. OBJECTIONS BEFORE COURT. May 2. A sitting of the Assessment Court was held at Stratford this morning for the purpose of hearing objections to the Government valuations within the borough of Stratford. Mr. V. G. Day, S.M., presided, and had with him Messrs. J. Heslop, J. M. Hignett (local bodies' assessor), and N. H. Mackie (representing the Valuation Department). J. Fredric objected to the valuation placed on one acre in Fenton Street. The capital value was £6lO. Fredric said the property had depreciated, while the valuation had gone up. He bought the section in April, 1920, for £6OO, and the improved value was now put down at £9lO. The president said the objection would have to be struck out if no sworn evidence was brought forward. The court was conducted as an . ordinary court, and objectors should have known this. To this Fredric raised an objection regarding the conduct of the court, stating that the public had not been notified that it was necessary to give sworn evidence, whereupon the president demanded an apology, which was forthcoming. Mary J. Patterson asked for a redaction of the value of £l4O on 12.64 perches in Orlando Street. Philip Skoglund gave evidence to the effect that no residential section in Stratford of 4-acre was worth or had been sold for £l4O. He considered the value of the section was £lOO. The Government Valuer (Mr. W. J. Newton) said it had not been his experience that building sites of a quarter-acre did not realise more than £l5O. The value of £l4O on the section in question was in line with all the other sections in the vicinity. A reduction was made to £lOO unimproved value, £7 being placed on the improvements. Mr. Kay, on behalf of the Egmont Club), objected to valuation on the Egmont Club building site. Mr. R. Masters gave evidence that the club had been built in 1910 at a cost of £lO5O. The value on the club’s books was now £751. He gave figures to show that the prices of building material had largely decreased—in some cases, the witness stated, they were down to pre-war level. Through the building being close to the railway it was necessary at times to renew the iron, which became corroded by the sulphur smoke from the engines. This and other reasons were brought forward to show that the value of the building was depreciating. The unimproved value was sustained, and the improvements were reduced from £l2OO to £llOO.

H. C. Wright, for whom Mr. H. E. Lawrence appeared, lodged an objection to the value of £275 on three sections In Ariel Street. J. McCluggage gave evidence that a creek ran through the property and spoiled its value for building sites. He submitted * values made by himself aggregating £l9O. A reduction was made to £235.

The same owner was also granted a small reduction on another section, and on a site in Fenton Street the valuation was sustained.

Hannah Gorrie (Mr. Lawrence) objected to the valuation on a residential site and house in Juliet Street. J. McCluggage said the house was over .30 years old, and it was impossible to let it. He valued the house at £3OO, and the unimproved value of the section at £4OO. The values were reduced to £lOOO, £5OO and £450 respectively. Herbert E. Lawrence objected to the values of £1529, £290 and £12.39 on his house and section in Miranda Street. A reduction was made to £1365, £265 and £llOO respectively. Mr. McAllister represented eight ratepayers who objected to their valuations. Included in these was W. P. Kirkwood’s claim for a reauction on the valuation of the County Hotel. After consideration it was decided to grant a reduction of 10 per cent., from £lOO to £9O per foot of frontage pn this property. It was decided to take the other objections separately. (Left sitting.)

Call at W. H. Humphrey’s (Stratford News office) and inspect a consignment of leather and wood-work articles in marquetry and poker-work. Beautiful wedding or birthday presents. We are sole agents in this district for Miss Ayling’s famous studio (Auckland). If you want a souvenir to send to the Old Land we have what you want. Fancy needlework materials of all description at Mrs. Humphrey’s, Stratford.

Country subscribers not receiving their Daily News regularly are asked to immediately notify our circulation manager, care Mr. W. H. Humphrey, Stratford. Complaints will receive prompt attention.