LAND VALUES AND VALUATIONS. Tam Duncan Squeals.

Free Lance, Volume VI, Issue 308, 26 May 1906, Page 6

LAND VALUES AND VALUATIONS. Tarn Duncan Squeals.

THE funniest thing for some time past is the Hon. Tarn Duncans diatribe on excessive land values He threw it off his chest quite suddenly at the end of last week, on the occasion of a little valedictory function to the Surveyor-General. In fact, Tarn worked himself into hysterics over the booming of land to far beyond its intrinsic value. And he blamed it all on land-booming syndicates. That is. where the fun comes in. » • • If the Minister of Lands has not been asleep for the past month, he must be aware that the Government Land Valuation Department has caused a tremendous sensation by its new valuations. They out>Herod Herod. They have caused a spasm of surprise in a community like that of Wellington, which is used to high land values, for these valuations are the highest on record. Instances are numerous where the new valuations have been put up to double and treble what they were two or three years ago. Protests have been flowing in from all quarters, and when the Assessment Court meets it is likely to have a formidable list of objections to deal with. • • • All Tarn Duncans objurgations recoil upon the head of the Valuation Department of the Government. It is the height of inconsistency to find fault with the private dealer for putting a high price upon land when the Government insists upon the highest standard of value as the basis of its land taxation. If the Minister of Lands is not acquainted with these things, it is his duty to bring himself up to date. • • • After all, the price of land, like everything else, is settled by the law of supply and demand The greater the demand the higher the price. If the Minister of Lands thinks the price is far too high for land in Wellington city and suburbs, it would be as well for the people who are now objecting to the Government valuations on their properties to cite him as a witness at the Assessment Court. At present his attitude as a member of a Government which is responsible for high valuations is very much like that of Satan reproving sin. » • • Mr. Duncan also complains that with every addition to wages up goes everything else in proportion. Just so; it's a way things have in social economics. If you insist upon artificially forcing up wages by means of Arbitration Courts at the instance of trades unions nothing is surer than that the cost of Living will go up in proportion!. That was foretold when the indus-

trial arbitration machinery was first introduced, and it is really distressing at this time of day to find a Minister of the Crown talking about it as if it were some new and strange discovery. •* ' • Let Tarn Duncan bestir himself" and came forth from his Rip Van.Winkle slumbers. If he has ,any influence in the Cabinet, let- Hm ,make his voice and influence .felt there as against inflated valuations. Then, with some show of coiiksistency, he may come forth before the public, and declaim his pet» bogey, the land-booming syndicates. Trafficking in land is in no* sense different from desiring in any other sort of commodity. Thoaewho have it for sale try for the best, price. Those who want to buy will* give as little as they can help. Mrs. Partington tried to sweep baqfc the flowing tide with a besom. The Minister of Lands, fulminatingagainst high values for land, is engaged on a like contract.