ASSESSMENT COURT

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 June 1934, Page 12

ASSESSMENT COURT

CHAIRMAN’S PRIVATE WARNING. [FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND. June 11. Information about offering property to the Crown was given in an unofficial capacity, by the President of the Assessment Court (Mr J. S. Hewitt. S.M.) to-day. He answered questions before the Court actually opened, and .said the Valuer-General now had much wider powers than formerly. He had the right to take an offered properly on behalf of the Government, or offer it to the local body concerned, or make any private arrangement. Property could not now be offered for less 1 nan the amount of the mortgage plus rates and other charges owing on it. While the objector must still offer the property within 14 days, the Valuer-Gen-eral could take his own time in disposing of it. A property once offered could not be withdrawn. j Mr Hewitt said he intended to rule| that the valuation of properties offered to the Crown be sustained. That would give the objector something to appeal against. “What I am saying is unofficial.” he added, “and is my opinion only. If I were in a private capacity I should consult a lawyer before oiler-

ing property to the Crown, because you may got a result you do not want.’ When the Court opened a large number of the SO objectors offered properties to the Crown in spite of what Mr Hewitt had said.