CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9129, 10 August 1888, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE SOCIETY OF ARTS MEETING. TO THE KDITOR. Sir,—Mr. C. D. Whitcombe, in his letter

to-day re the Society of Arts meeting, is at great pains to answer " One Who Was There" on the subject of the remarks re the Free School of Art. But Mr. Whitcoinbe, in his haste to rush into the breach, seems to have entirely overlooked the fact that it was not the statements made in the annual report which have caused all this correspondence, but those made use of in the address of the chairman ! As far as yet appears, no one has Baid a single word as to the report or its contents, and those who were not present at the meeting, and may have any fault to find with it, will have ample opportunity to ventilate their opinions after it is printed and circulated to the members. Mr. Whitcombe's other statements are as follows :—I- That "he wa.s given to understand " written proxies held by member!? in the room would have been put in to test the validity of such proxies, and that, as secretary, it certainly was not hie place to raise the question. !2. That on inquiry he had been informed such proxies would not be allowed, on the ground that the rules made no provision for their exercise. Now, sir, as I am in all probability the one referred to as " the gentleman in whose favour the proxies were exercisable," 1 wish to make the following direct statements in answer to the above :—1 Most of the written votes which were sent (at all events, those of which I am personally cognisant) were not proxies at all, but letters addressed to the secretary by members who wished to record their votes in my behalf. Under ■ these circumstances, it was clearly the seci retary's duty to have called the chairman's j attention to them, and as they were all i duly handed in, I have yet to learn why i they were passed over in silence. 2. As to j the written proxies, the rules of the society I contain not one word for or against their use, I and under these circumstances it would be interesting to know on what authority a prominent member of the outgoing committee went about at the meeting apparently doing his best to prevent all such being put in evidence. I understand that they (the proxies) would have been laid before the chairman, and the votes of the meeting or the chairman's ruling taken as ! to their employment or rejection ; but the ■ secretary declined to receive the few which were not addressed to himself; and those which were he, as above, did not produce. This is why Mr. Mackechnie, in his letter of the Bth instant, says that no proxies were laid before him, and that consequently he, as chairman, had no occasion to rule regarding them. There seems to be something about this business which badly wants clearing up, and as I have always regarded Mr. Whitcombe as a friend, it cannot be otherwise than painful to me to have to make these remarks —in fact, I cannot help thinking he has in some way been placed in a false position. Had I any idea of all the unpleasantness which would arise over the appointment of the Society of Arts' secretary, there would never have been any candidature on the part of yours, etc., S. Stuakt. Auckland, August 9, 18S8.

PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —I see by a report in your paper of an interview which one of your staff had with the Mayor (Mr. A. Devore) that it is the intention of the Government to adopt the borough valuation as the basis upon which the property tax valuations are to be made for the next triennial period ; and it has been further stated that it is the intention of the Government to incorporate in tho Property Tax Act, 1888, a clause for that purpose. Now the borough valuations are made on the annual rental less 20 per cent., or the rental value is to bo ascertained by capitalising the rental value by the fee simple at not less than 5 per cent, or more than 10 per cent., so that if that is the way the capital value of property is to be asec-i-lained, with the market for property at its present low state, either the borough must lose considerably in rates or the property-owners must pay on valuations very little less than those made at the last triennial valuation, and in proof of which I will take four properties as an example : —lst, the late Mr. Bugden's, in Lorne-street • 2nd, ditto in Abercrombiestreet; 3rd, a property in York-street, sold privately ; 4th, a property in Karangahape Road. Ist. Borough valuation with 20 per cent, added, £85, capitalised at 10 per cent, or ten years purchase would give valuation for propertytax £Bf>o, sold at Cochrane's last Monday for £465; valuation for property tax nt last valuation was £640. 2nd. Borough valuation with 20 per cent, added, Abor-crombie-street, £G5 ; capitalised at 10 per cent., £650 : sold at Cochrane's for £345 ; valuation for property tax at last valuation, £725. 3rd. Borough valuation, with 20 per cent added, York-street, these houses are let at £31 per annum, which, if capitalised at 10 per cent., gives a valuation of £310 ; these two houses were sold, a week or so ago for £200, and at last valuation were valued for property tax at £400. 4th. Rental value shops in the best part of Karangahape Road, annual rental, £200; which, if capitalised at 10 per cent., would give £2000 ; property-tax valuation at last valuation, £2310. in conclusion, allow me to suggest that steps should be at once taken to definitely ascertain how the Government intend to apply a fixed rule, as stated above, or do they intend to allow the valuer to exercise his judgment in fixing the capital value.—l am, &c, Pro Bono Publico.

BRAVO ! MRS. ALDIS ! TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —It is not often that I agree with the writings of Mrs. Aldis, but this morning's letter in the Herald is admirable. It is so clearly expressed and reasoned out that one can feel, as it were, each statement between one's finger and thumb of the mind. For this one admirable burning, scathing, peppery letter, I forgive her for all her previous meddling cantankerousnesß. —Yours, &c, G.