The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1881

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 660, 6 January 1881, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1881

The Hon. G. M. Waterbous'e has, lite it very David, smote that Goliath—the 11 Property Tax,'-hip and tli'i s li. - lii <a-letter to the New Zealand- Times that., .most sagacious member, of. .the Legislative Council slates advisedly that "the department cannot .legally enforce the payment of .tlio tax. When-Mr, Water.house speaks on 'th« spur of the moment lie lie is'a"dangerous man to contradict, . but when'he speaks advisedly his utteranc'esnmy be regarded almost as gospel. According to. him, the department has neglected to appoint" assessors' in' accordance with the Act;'and it is bound to base its roll oil the statement of property holders only. Instead of doing this it has in many .instances made up its roll irom its own assessments. ..Consequently the roll as a whole is bad in Imv. "Itis quite clear," writes Mr Waterhouso. "from the notices which have been so widelydistributed that the assessment roll has nqt been prepared 'irom the '•statements and" lists" required bylaw; but from a valuationmade by tlio Commissioner?, So far as this has been done 'the assessment roll is utturly ■ illegal and invalid, If the Commissioners endeavor to enforce such ail assessment roll, possibly .upon appeal to the' courts of-law - the assessment would be quashed",.'altogether; but probabiy.the better plan .will be for persons aggrieved'by the action of •Commissioners to object ' before the court of review' to ilie assessment,, on the general ground of its -illegality. That court would have no. other, option than either to declare-the assessment . invalid or to annual'it-in accordance ■with the "statements" which" 1 haVe" been furnished by*the- Commissioners." Mr Wfltoiihpuse holds that it .will' be necessary : for (lie Government to abandon- the present Property tax roll, anil jirep u-e a new one, which :will be in accordance with law. Something of this sort--will.undoubtedly- have to •be dolie, .but we would rather see the tax abandoned altogether.' It is not a wise ..one, and is doing—and will do—-the-colony more harm than good. Its withdrawal would be almost as beneficial as a ten per cent reduction,