ASSESSMENT COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 169, 19 July 1910, Page 2

ASSESSMENT COURT.

A sitting of the Assessment Court, consisting of Jiessrs E. c. Cutteu, S.M. (chairman), G. L. Veacocke, representing the Government, and W. Garratt, representing local to hear objections from landowners in the Mt. Eden, Mt. Albert, Takapuna, Waltakerci aud Birkenhead districts. Mr A. J. McGo-wan appeared on behalf of the Valuation Department.

Mount Albert Road District objections were dealt with first. Objection was taken in the estate of Wm. Kemp that the valuation of £100 per acre was too high. There was no appearance of the objector. Mr McGowan, on behalf of the Department, usked that the value of the improvements, as assessed by the objector, be added to the unimproved value. After hearing of evidence the valu-ation was increased as follows:—3S acres, from £-1700 to £5700; 51 acres, from £8320 to £4820.

The Mount Albert ltoad Board lodged various protests iv connection with Uie valuations of parts of the Mount Albert district. Several of the objections lodged in the lirst pfeice had been withdrawn previous to the bitting of the Court, owing to an amicable arrangement having been arrived at between the owners and the Board, whereby very substantial increases were agreed to, amounting to some thousands ol pounds. Tue remaining objections lodged by tue Board were fully sustained by the Court, Viz., Estate of A. Kerr-Taylor, 158 acres, from £100 to £150 per acre; Sophia Ij. Kerr-Taylor, 134 acres, #175 to £200 per acre. In the case of 4u acres, valued by the Government at £125 per acre, and ou wliieh valuation a - reduction to £1200 for the block Ms asked for by Mrs Kerr-Tay-lor, to which the Board was strongly opposed, the original valuation was sustained. With regard to individual objections by ratepayers, only a few were before the Court, and in most cases valuations were sustained. A rather interesting case was that of the estate of Wm. Kemp, which property, -comprising over SO acres, was recently sold at the rate of £150 per acre. An objection against the Government assessment of £100 per acre came before the Court, wherein the value was stated as "preposterous." On the application of the Valuation 13tjpiirtment tlie matter was re-opened, and an amended valuation totalling £2000 over and above the first was substituted. The capital value of the Mount Albert Road District, which a few ago stood at about £200,000, has now become nearly £l,O00,OO:i, and, witH the advent of the trams to Moruingside, and the proposed expenditure on public roads of Government loan monies amounting roughly to £25,000, this should greatly increase in the near future. The case for the Board was conducted by the chairman, Mr M. J. Coyle. The National Bank, in the estate of A. Heather, raised" objection to a number or valuations. Two reductions were made from capital value, £560 to £420, and capital value, £790 to £GOO. The capital value of Allan Kerr-Taylor's property of 1 acre 17 perches was reduced from £200 to £100.

The capital value of Martha Carrie's property, 5 acres, -was reduced from £765 to £640. Her property of 2 acres 22 perches was refiueed from £575 to £515.

The Takapuna Ferry and Tramwars Co. objected to the valuation of fixed by the Department on the tramway track. Mr A. C. Brown, who appeared in support of the objection, pointed out that although £21,000 bad been spent on the work, it was not a- saleable asset at that price, and he asked that the valuation be reduced to £10,000. It was further pointed out that the company only had the right to use flanged wheels on the track, and they- were not the owners of any estate or laud. The tracks tad no earning capacity at the present time, and were not likely to have till the channel was dredged in the vicinity of O'Neill's' Point to allow of the ferry boots running there. It was decided to reduce the valuation to £13,750.