THE LAND QUESTION.

Evening Star, Issue 17032, 1 May 1919, Page 3

THE LAND QUESTION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Having been absent from Otago, I was unable to reply before to Mr R. T. Sadd’s comments on my letter of April 14. Mr Sadd says: “ The Government valuation is the valuation made for tion purposes, and is never the market or selling value of land.” How Mr Sadd can harmonise that statement with the following definition found in the Valuation of Land Amendment Act will be interesting; —“‘Unimproved vflue ’ of any land means the sum which the owner’s estate or interest therein, if unencumbered by any mortgage or other charge thereon, might be expected to realise at the time of valuation if offered for sale on such reasonable terms and conditions as a bona fide seller might be expected to impose, and if no improvements (as hereinafter defined) had been made on the said land.” Mr Sadd has faith in continuous high prices, and declares “ . . . there is very little probability of the price of wool, mutton, etc., declining.” What time Mr Sadd j uttered these words, the new settlers, who, through initial difficulties, could not hang on to their oats, were forced to sell at greatly-reduced prices from last year. All Mr Sadd’s optimism cannot dispute that “concrete fact.” And even as Mr Sack! delivered himself of the story of high prices for “mutton,” etc., the sales of store sheep and cattle show a very rapid decline on prices of store cattle last year.— I am, etc., J. E. MacManus, A.P.U. Organiser. April 28.