WAITEMATA VALUATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20594, 19 June 1930, Page 14

WAITEMATA VALUATIONS.

Sir,—Apparently _ the Government valuer for thrc Waitemata County is unaware of the fact that land values hava crushed. According to his valuation orchard property has doubled in value tlia last ten years. How happy the orchardists would bo if such was'the case. But wo know to our sorrow that fruit hardly pays for picking and packing. Yet tho Government valuation on onr holdings has le;ipt up to double to allow the Waitemata County Council to extract more rates from us. Thero is a cry for more land settlement, yet here, at Auckland's back dnor (29 miles from G.P.0., Queen Street, and 3 miles from suburban area), we have settlers being squeezed off tho land by excessive taxation. In this valley thero are 30 small holdings from 10 to 25 acres.All had owners 14 years ago. At present 22 holdings art; abandoned, two owners' wives still live on their holdings, white their husbands work in other districts, three sections are hold bv absentees, ono by an old man who has a private income and two are still endeavouring to make a living on- their holdings. \\ e. arc taxed to subsidise the roads used by motor traffic and those motor vehicles in turn rob tho railways of their legitimate business, and a loss of £1.250.000 is the result. Another matter I wish to enter an emphatic protest against is tho Assessment Court being held in Auckland. Why not hold tho Court in the Waitemata County '! A Fed-up Fa icier.