HAWERA VALUATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1922, Page 6

HAWERA VALUATIONS.

INFLUENCE OF THE BOOM. Some years ago a movement was initiated by the Hawera Borough Council to have a revaluation made of the borough properties. None had been made for seven years before. The request has been acceded to, and many of the valuations are double what they pieviously were. This is considered a distinct hardship coming at a bad time like the present, and efforts have been made to postpone the operation of the new valuations for a year. Last week a deputation of Hawera men waited upon the Premier with this in view. Mr. Pacey said that some of the valuations in the past had been ridiculously low. People who hhd lived in their homes for many years, and had done nothing to make them more valuable, found that a neighbor sold his property at a ridiculously high figure, and the value of the other holding was pushed up as a consequence. Mr. Murdoch said a number of tenants throughout the town held leases running for five years, and they were asking for redactions of rent because of the difficult economic position. But, he asked, how were property owners to give them the desired relief if their valuations had gone up by 80 to 100 per cent, compared with the old valuation? Property owners wished to meet their tenants, but could only do so by letting the former valuation stand until a new one could be made on a suitable basis. Mr. Gilbert, speaking for the retailers, said that they were paying such heavy rents that the valuer was quite surprised. Under the new valuation their rents must increase instead of coming down. They were hoping rents would go down nearer the normal point, because business conditions in Hawera at present did not warrant the rents which were being paid. It would be fair to stave off the new valuation, because it must have been influenced by the boom period now over. Mr. Dixon stated in his capacity of MaSyor that he believed the Borough Council would not object to the valuation being susoended if it was possible for this to be done legally. Under the new legislation the borough was, obliged to live within its income, and if revenue was secured on the present valuation they would doubtless cut down the rates as low as possible consistent with paying their way. But rates were not the only troubles which would press upon the people as a result of the high valuation. There were the land tax, and also the hospital and charitable aid rates. They never dreamt at the time of- asking for- revaluation that the Dominion was going to pass through such strenuous times. “The Government has no wish dr intention to tax people unfairly,” replied the Prime Minister. We do not wish that property should be taxed on boom values, and as a matter of fact the Valuation Department, as a matter of general policy, always keeps values below the selling value so as to allow for fluctuations. As to whether the new valuation could he suspended, he would be glad to look into the point and see if this was possible. Everyone had to suffer from high valuations on account of the fact that the slump came after the boom. “I am one of the sufferers myself,” confessed the Premier, who gave the deputation some information regarding the valuations of portions of , his farm in the Auckland district. Mr. Dixon reminded the Prime Minister that the difficulty might have to be solved by means of legislation. “What we do for you, we must do for everybody,” replied Mr. Massey. “I f will do my best, and the Government . will not take an unfair advantage of 1 you.”—Star.