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Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3208, 18 May 1889, Page 2

Property Tax Valuations' We wonder : whether it has over ocoiirred to the Property Tax Com. missioner to oompare the valuations made in one district with those of an adjoining one. If be were to do that

ho would undoubtedly drop, across sorpe extraordinary - incon aistenoies which would go a long way to -show not at; all so perfect as seems to be generally imagined. We have heard of quite a number of cases whioli we could quote as illustrations. There is, for instance, a large run in Notth Wairarapa wliich has been valued at £6 pere aove, while an adjoining one/ which is in\South Wairarapa, is valued at about £2los per acre. Both properties are highly improved, and the land is of good quality, what difference there is between the two, being in fayor of the southern run. If ono man had valued both properties, he would, in all probability, have put them down-on level terms; but .there being two valuers, they have managed to differ to the tune of £8 10s per acre. Such a .'difference would not be much in town lands; but in the couutry it looks very extraordinary, and almost unaccountable. Equally strange is the valuation of another large property which lies still further south, and which has a value of only about twenty shillings per acre put on it, though it is -well improved. In fact, the further south m look the smaller the assessments appear to be, though' we are not aware that there is any corresponding difference in the quality of the soil. This is not as it should be, because those owners who are let off so lightly have the greater part of what they should contribute to the revenue paid for them by other and less fortunate people. It would be impossible to arrive at the exact values of every plot of land, but there should certainly be a narrower margin for errors than that which appears to exist in the Property Tax Department.