LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6669, 3 April 1883, Page 5

LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS.

; [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] "Wellington, Monday. VALUATION UNDER THE PROPERTY TAX. In several instances where property owners have objected to valuations under the Property Assessment Act, the Commissioner has directed that the offer shall bo made to take over the property under section 13 of the Property Assessment Act at an advance of ten per cent, on the Government valuation. In one of those cases the property was valued by the Government Valuer at abont £70,000, and by the owner at under £50,000; .iu another case the valuations were £6500 and £3500 respectively. However, on the Government offering to take over the property at 10 per cent, above the higher valuation if the owners were dissatisfied, it is said the owners hastened precipitately to withdraw their objections, and declared their entire willingness to accept the valuation of the Government Assessor. In one case an owner protested against being assessed on his interest in a certain lease which he declared was worth only £900, and not £1400 as valued, the property tax representative assented to the reduction, and it was - then discovered that the proprietor had never really been assessed at nil on these leases, the Assessor not being aware of his interest in them. Nobody knows how the unfortunate man who thus had voluntarily let himself in for a tax on £900 got hold of an erroneous impression that ho had been assured on those leases. THE LOXGHUP.ST CASE. With reference to the celebrated case of George Longhurst and the petition for his release which was presented to tho Governor on Friday, I believe I am justified in. saying that there is not the slightest probability of the prayer beiug granted. 1 understand that His Excellency, as well as the Judges who tried the case, and also tho majority, at any rate, of tho Ministry, are fully convinced of the prisoner's guilt, while even thoee of the public who advocate his release do so on the ground of the deplorable miscarriage of justice which unquestionably has taken place, and there is no doubt at all that had the evidence of second trial been forthcoming at the first one, quite sufficient doubt would have been thrown on the case for the prosecution to ensureLonghurst's acquittal. Aa it is, many felt that even if guilty he has been severely punished, and if by any chance he is innocent his position is a truly horrible one. It has been hinted to me, however, that Longhurst himself, who of course is innocent of the steps being taken on his behalf, does not deny his guilt, if indeed he has not actually confessed. It is further rumoured that in Cabinet Major Atkinson, Mr. Dick, and! Mr. Johnston favour the release, under exceptional circumstances of the case, while the rest of the -Ministers are adverse. For thi3, of course, I cannot vouch, but I fancy you will find Longhurat will have to serve out his full term. It is said that many of tho signatures to the monster petition on his behalf were '.hose of mere children.