LAND TAX ASSESSMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17497, 15 June 1920, Page 6

LAND TAX ASSESSMENTS.

AUCKLAND GAS COMPANY'S CASE.

The sitting of the Assessment Court, advertised for next month, to hear objections to the revised valuation 901 l for Auckland City and suburbs, will bo the sequel to a decision of the Court of Appeal somo timo ago concerning the mains and other property of the Auckland Gas Company. After .tflo r.iso had been taken to the Court of Appeal, it was finally decided that while the gasometers belonging to tho company came under tho description of machinery, and were not assessable for taxation, the mains were to .be classed as ordinary improvements, and consequently were taxable. It was further decided that the laying of the mains gave tho company an interest in the land In which these mains were laid, and that this interest was assessable for the purposes of taxation. ConiequerUly. a revaluation of the comfiany'a property was necessary, and it is or the purpose of hearing objections to this that the Court will sit.' .Afterwards the valuation roll for tho year ending March- 31, 1921, wii'i bo closed. This revaluation is the only one made by the Department for the current financial year affecting Auckland City and suburban boroughs. , The practice of the Valuation Department is to revalue periodically in tlw various boroughs, counties, town districts, and road districts as the need arises. Tho roll in each case must be completed by March 31, so that it may be available for the following financial year. go far as the .Auckland district is concerned the process has been completed in a number of instances, and the Department is merely awaiting sittings of the Assessment Court before the rolls are finally closed. In some instances there is only one objector to considered, but go long as a' single objection remains outstanding the roll cannot be closed. The districts for which pew valuations were made in tho last financial year were :-rWliang«rei .Borough, Rodney County, Avondale Road District, Tamakl Road District, Panmurn Rood District, Hamilton Borough, OpoUki County, Kawhia County, Ohuru County, and To Puke Town District.