LAND VALUES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 12 July 1923, Page 7

LAND VALUES.

L -COMPLAINT FROM TARANAKI. I' DEPUTATION TO PREMIER. (By Telegraph.—Special,to the Star). WELLINGTON, July 12. Important questions relating to- Taranaki valuations were raised by a deputation to the Premier, accompanied by Messrs. Smith, Corngan and Masters, Ms.P., which protested against the high, valuations. Mr Smith stated that the deputation appreciated the Valuer-General's visit to New Plymouth, but they w. ; re disappointed over his failure to ?avry out his promise. Mr Dames stated that the V.-ilner-General had promised to make percentage reductions over both counties, whether persons objected o,r not, of from 10 to 51: per cent. Actually the reuuc- j tions were less, and in some cases as low as 13 par cent. Taranaki valuations had increased 106 per cent, over ; the previous valuation, and in Strat- ' ford County the valuations had increased by 72 2-3 per cent. The'average iliftrea.se in valuations in the North Islam? over the same period was 74 1 per cent., while the Dominion increase was 63 1-5 per cent. Tho. deputation disputed that any special circumstances applied to Taranaki counties' which! justified the extra 82-J- per cent, over j the rest of New Zealand. They considered the two counties had been evervalued to tho extent of £278,000. | Mr Con'nett pointed out the Jtige expenditure few loading in Taranaki and | the heavy rating for tins purpose. Much,: of the present land value was duo to tho Ja.i'<]K> aumfal expenditure u.i topdressing. Credit should be given nnoer I this head for 8s per acre.. Tho unimproved values had been increased by I 100 per cent, and, as these were laig«-jy due to their own efforts tho iratepayers should not be penalised to mat ex-' tent. ; The former relation of '.aproved ' to ui>improved value* was £20 to ct.ch, ! but later valuations showed a'lemtojcy i to -greatly lift the unimproved \.i.tes. Mr Gray contended that the Yn,uer had insufficient local Kno'.vledjre. Some concession was made by ih© ValuerGeneral, but this was Like the Jew's discount—it was doubly put on before being taken off.. He contended that the valuer was misled by the amount, of produce going over the ■ brea.Kv.iter, much coming trom illltham and ih.vteia, the most fertile counties. The appeals in his district totalled 150. Mr Jones pointed cut that tho valuations had increased by i()6 per rpj.t. during a period »vhen me \alxie <f pvoduc^ had increased 50 per cent, and overhead expenses were much higher. ', If valuations were to be made on the ! returns from some of. the best fa-rms.it ; was taxing the individual, not the! land. ' | Mr Hardy, on behalf of the Inglewood County, said the Valuei-'jwiorai! had promised reductions irrespective of objections. Their increase had not I been so great as Taranaki; County, but, their land was not so good, some farms being idle, and some dairy farmers were living in deplorable conditions. A farm put up for auction failed to reach .£4, and another was passed in at i'o per acre. Mr Gibbs stated that the en pita 1 value was not complained of. but tho unimproved was ridiculous, except where there was hill country. If farmers could be given a fair value for their improvements it would meet the positidn. Mr Massey: "That appears to he the trouble." Mr Gibbs stated that some settlers on-poor land paid 7s 7d per acre in rates, and this tended to drivo u>eii off the land into towns. The Premier declared that the \aluat:'on question was extraordinarily difficult. He had been deluged with complaints in Parliament that valuations were far too low. "Is that no* sor"' he asked members present. Mr Masters: "Yes, for loan purposes. " The Premier replied that when it came to taxation complaint was ma<it> that the valuations were too high. It was alleged that when the Prime Minister: wanted more money he gave the tip cto the Valuer-General to put up the valuations, but ho wished to publicly state that he had never, directly or_ indirectly, interfered with tl.e Valuation Department. That was- the business of the Department, He had acted fair, just and reasonable with the vf luations for taxing purposes . r any other purposes. "I do not,'' continued Mr Massey, "wish fo see improvements brought within the scope of the Taxing Department. Improvements belong to the man who made them. That is a principle of the law that he should not be taxed for his impr6vements." He ■understood that arrangements had been made to reduce the unimproved valuations in several ridings of Taranaki County, and presumed it would apply to other counties. A request for further time within which, to make objections might trequir© an amendment of the law, but if so> he would suggest to the Valuer-General to allow that objections be lodged and Parliament would validate this action later, but Parliament would not alter the valuation law j in any important aspect.