GOVERNMENT VALUATIONS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15110, 28 October 1914, Page 2

GOVERNMENT VALUATIONS.

COMPLAINTS OF SETTLERS.

exquiry PROMISED.

(SPECIAL TO "!HE rKESS.") WELLINGTON, October 27. Tho numerous complaints regarding Government land valuation were referred to in tiie iiouse or UepresentanTr'utnrio, who asked the Prime mmmM roeommendation. . .. +lin( . +he Tho Prime Minister said that the matter bad already been undei the consideration of the Government Although the Cabinet had not %et^ come to a final decision, ho thought he T\as Justified in saying that tho report of Sfcommitt.e Vould recezvo avourablo consideration. An enquiry » hicfa. those who had grievances could give evidence would be arranged for. Complaints had come, not only from Auckland, but also from Wairarapa and the Cifcv of Wellington. He thought that a beUer form of ppeal than that now afforded by tho Assessment Courts should bo ' provided. A Stipendiary Majstrato and one. or two citizen, tvoud probably form the court of en auirv Tho* Government would do everything possible .to facilitate the holding of a full enquiry. Mr "Massey added that on July 2oth last ho had forwarded the following memorandum to the Valuer-General :— "Recently quite a number of comp]~ints have reached mc regarding valuations which are taking pla"e in ditferent parts of the Dominion. The complaints nearly all go in the same direction, naihe'y. that improvements are not being sufficiently exempted. Th© complaints are so numerous and emphatic thai T cannot heln c-omina: to the conclusion th:*t there are grounds for them. 1 therefore give directions Tor you to make your valuers understand that it is not the policy nor the intention of tho Government to inflate values or to fax improvements, which oupht +0 be! and are intended to be, erf""i>tccl under the Act." pypri nf* , *"* he,sent thk memorandum, added Mr Mn'Wv, co'*ir>l;iirit<: continued to onrno to hftnU. and ho had therefore eor>-luded that an enquiry was-neces-sary. .