GREY VALUERS CRITICISED

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 July 1945, Page 8

GREY VALUERS CRITICISED

CURSORY INSPECTION ALLEGED “The evidence given by the valuers for the Crown and the vendor at the initial hearing of the application was not sustained by an inspection of the property by the committee." With these Words the chairman of the Westland Land Sales Committee, Mr. M. Wallace, commenced a critical comment, this morning, on the evidence given by A. Warnes and G. F. Shallcrass, valuers, concerning the state of the ground underneath a house-in Alexander Street, for which permission to transfer was being, sought. “I must say,” he continued, “that the valuers must have been cursory in their inspection or they must, inevitably have noticed the disability, brought about from the dampness underneath the dwelling. Evidence brought before the committee at the initial sitting was to the effect that after three days of heavy rain, the soil under the building was dry, while the other witness said that the so-il was dry. I must reiterate that evidence placed before this committee must, be correct and able to be sustained. Mr. A. M. Jamieson, who appeared for the vendor, defended his witness, Mr. Shallcrass. pointing out that he stated in evidence that he visited the property two or three times, and once after rain, to make sure of the state of the ground. “In notes taken by myself and.in those taken by the stenographer, Miss Keenan. Mr. Shallcrass said that the soil underneath the bouse was dry,” declared the chairman. “There can be no on that. The evidence before the committee was not sustained by an inspection. The committee is very loathe-to suggest that a deliberate effort was made to mislead them, but the valuers’ examination must have been a cursory one. The examination of the committee was made to test the veracity of the evidence,” added Mrp Wallace. “and the evidence placed before us today bears out that inspection.” Mr. Jamieson said that the committee had made it a matter of two issues—whether the ground .was wet or whether it was dry. His valuersaid it was dry, and he was not asked whether it was damp. “The committee is comprised of practical men, Mr. Jamieson,” replied the chairman. “I have some idea of what dampness means —I have been associated with it all my life —ancl what dryness means, a very vivid idea. We saw under the dwelling, and there is no need for further debate.” “The only comment I have to make,” reasserted Mr. Jamieson, ‘is that my witness was never asked whether the soil was damp.”