THE OTAHUHU COMPENSATION COURT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5759, 3 May 1880, Page 6

THE OTAHUHU COMPENSATION COURT.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —If yonr Otahuhu correspondent has correctly stated the grounds upon which the Judge of the Assessment Court decliued to insert the name of Mr. Cochrane in the valuation list, it appears to me that Captain Jackson was wrong in his interpretation of the Eating Act, and the result is that a property liable to be rated (according to the opinion of Mr. Barstow, also a Judge.of an Assessment Court, in the case of Pitt-streot Wealeyan Sunday-scliool) has escaped its fair share of the burden of taxation. Of oourse, the amount involved is a mere trifle, but the principle is of considerable importance. 1 fail to see in any part of the 4th sohednle that the Hoard were required to state the amount they thought the property ia question fihould be rated at. ah they

were required to do was to cite tha 4th form which opened up the question of amount, as weU as liability. If Captain Jackson is right, it were well tbat the Hon. the At-torney-General should see that the form of the schedule la made more clear and explicit. Mr. Luke, in his remarks, made use of a statement, which, statement seemed to inEusnce the mind of the Court in arriving at the conclusion it did, of a most extraordinary character. He not only stated that the building had been used as a charch some 15 years ago, but had never been used for aDy other purpose than Sunday-school purposes since its removal to the present site Now, what are the facts? Simply that no less than schoolmasters and their friendß have lived m the building, and that dancing classes and other amusements have been held in it at different times during these 15 years. I don't know what the Chairman of the Board was thinking about when he did not bring these facts under the notice of the Court, because he must have known of them as well as Mr. Luke, The principle involved in the action of the Board in this particular matter is capable of wide application, as the law stands at present, not only in this settlement but elsewhere, and, therefore, I thought it right to trouble you for the insertion of this.—l am, &c., W. R.