TE AWAMUTU PROPERTIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 190, 13 August 1928, Page 9

TE AWAMUTU PROPERTIES.

(By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. The Rating Assessment Court sat in Hamilton to-day, presided over by Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt, S.M. Thomas Grant, Waipa County clerk, objected to the unimproved value of a section in Mi.tu Street, Te Awamutu, being assessed at £12.). He contended that the actual value was nearer £80. The unimproved value of house property in Te Awamutu had declined, Mr. Grant said, and figures sit [.plied by the town clerk showed that the fall over the whole borough was £415,000. He quoted a number of house properties sold comparatively recently at prices substantially below the Government valuation, and said there was evidence of depreciation in many parts of the borough. Tho reduction in the. Government valuation in some cases amounted to 40 per cent. The president of the C'our- pointed out that the 1021 valuation was irregular, and the effort to right things probably accounted for the reduction in certain

areas. Mr. A. M. Donaldson, of Auckland, who has five shops in Alexander Street, the business area of Fe Awamutu, objected to the valuation. He said lie had been told bv the \aluci that he was the only objector in the business area. This, however, was no tribute to the infallibility of the valuer, especially when it was realised that five of the ..en councillor of the borough had had their values reduced by 40 p:r cent. His total income from the props ty was £560, and his outgoing amounted to £20(5 8/.

The Court reduced Mr. orant's valuation from £125 to £100, at.d in the case of Mr. Donaldson, a reduction of <W P er f° ot was glinted.