TREE VALUATIONS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22438, 19 September 1947, Page 6

TREE VALUATIONS

FARM PLANTATIONS REMIT FROM MATAWAI CHANGE IN LAW WANTED In order to encourage the growing of plantations in the Gisborne district it is to be recommended that the whole question of the valuation of plantations for the purpose of death duties be gone into by head office of Federated Farmers with a view to having the legislation amended. A remit to this effect was passed at the meeting of the Gisborne provincial executive yesterday. Mr. T- A. Redpath, Matawai, said there had been a recent case in his district where a plantation grown by the owner and an area of native birch had been valued and an appreciable difference had been made, to the taxation payable by the estate. The trees were taken at their potential value in 10 or 15 years, when they might be completely valueless. The birch - timbered land was of no value for grazing, he added. The president, Mr. C. H. Williams, suggested that evidence of that nature might be incorporated in the evidence to go before the Royal Commission on sheepfarming. Mr. Stuart McGuinness said soil conservation was most important, and the man who planted trees should be encouraged. Valuation of the potential value of trees could often be an embarrassment to trustees.

Mr. I. C. Watt suggested that the catchment board could give a certificate where plantings had been made for conservation purposes. Incorporated in the remit was a clause which regarded the practice of A’aluing plantations separately from the land and then adding that valuation on as iniquitous.

Other remits passed by the executive were:

“That the Meat Board be requested to approach the Government asking consideration to be given to the necessity for the early fixing of the meat schedule in view of the position of the store sheep farmer in regard to forward and early sales. Early information was required by buyers and sellers of store stock.”

“That steps be tr v en to have the Dog Registration Act brought up to date and that stockmen be allowed to register six dogs at 2s 6d-”

“That an investigation be made into the possibility of releasing labour from New Zealand industries engaged in work that could be done better for the same, if not less, money in England.”