NEW AUCKLAND VALUATIONS

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26633, 19 January 1952, Page 6

NEW AUCKLAND VALUATIONS

MANY COMPLAINTS BY RATEPAYERS "The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND, January 18. Irate property owners in a steady stream visited the city valuer’s office in the Town Hall yesterday to register their protests against the alterations, startling in some cases, to their valuations. One after another and in groups, they complained bitterly about the higher figures, and sought explanations. The task of dealing with the indignant ratepayers has called for diplomacy, firmness and patient listening by the valuer and his officers. In most cases the officers have been able to soothe the property owners and comparatively few formal objection notices have so far been filled in. In the majority of cases the ratepayers have heard why their valuations have been increased, and have accepted the explanations. They have left probably no happier than when they arrived, but with a greater understanding of what has happened throughout the city. Busy Telephones Although it makes no valuations, the city treasury has also received its ■Share of complaints about the new figures. Unaware that this department is not a valuation office, many ratepayers have directed their compaints at it. Yesterday an average of three out of every five telephone calls received by the treasury dealt with the new valuations. One of the most common questions was: “Will I have to pay 5s 5d in the £ (the present rating basis) on this new valuation?” The answer was that no one could say at present what the rates would be in the next financial year, and that it would not necessarily remain as high as 5s sd. Some of the complaining ratepayers had already calculated their 1952-53 rates on the basis of their revised valuations and took the figures to the Town Hall to show that they had been unjustly treated.

This feeling of injustice apparently weighed heavily on one man. who expressed his disgust in ringing ton**s and declared that he would sell his valuable residential property at between £3OOO and £4OOO. 'When ne was told that there were prospective buvers on the Town Hall staff he did not take the matter further. Formal objections to the valuations will be received until February 15 and "rill be considered bv the Assessment Court on April 1. 2 and 3.