HOUSE VALUES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24760, 7 December 1943, Page 4

HOUSE VALUES

LOCALITY FACTOR CASE BEFORE COMMITTEE Aspects taken into account by Government valuers in m/iking their valuations were discussed before the Auckland Urban Land Sales Committee yesterday during a case in which consent was sought to the sale of a four-roomed house in Mount Albert Road, Mount Roskill. for £I7BO. Evidence was given by the vendor, Hunal A. Keen, that the house was built by him in 1941 but as it was one of six erected at that time he had not kept separate costs, although he estimated it on a basis of 28s a square foot. The department valuer, Mr. W. G. McClintock, said that had the house, which was built of brick veneer, had a tile roof he would have valued it at 26s a foot. He reduced it by 6d p. foot on account of having iron roofing. He reduced his valuation a similar sum on account of the garage of 17ft. by Oft. being attached to tlu-e house. In reply to tho committee's questions he said that the essential tiling in tho floor space of a house was its accommodation for living purposes. Mr. K. W. Aimer, a member of the committee, said he understood the desire to-day was for attached garages. The valuer's statement was now to him. Ho was also at a loss to understand witness' statement that a valuation should be further depreciated by Is a foot ou account of locality. Witness said he agreed that houses built in various districts of Auckland mightfwell cost the same to build but in valuing them the locality in relation to the city and centres of population was taken into account. This particular bouse, if built, for example in Mount Eden or within a two or three tram section of the city, would undoubtedly be let at more tban the 38s fid now being charged. The rent in such circumstances would bo probably between £2 5s and £3. His valuation was £IO3O. The committee reserved its decision.

SIZE OF PREMISES , THE VALUERS DISAGREE The proposed sale of a leasehold property at Epsom occupied considerable time before the Auckland Urban Land Sales Committee yesterday when consent to the transaction was sought. One of the features was the discrepancy of 400 sq. ft. in the measurements of the house floor space submitted by a private valuer and a Government one. Counsel for the vendor, Mr. Marshall White, said the land was leased for 63 years from 1907, it now having 27 years to run. The lessee had no right of renewal, purchase or compensation. Mr. Ranfurly Smith, valuer for the vendor, said he made his valuation on a floor area of 2357 sq. ft. and Mr. W. G. McClintock stated that his was on 1957 sq. ft. The chairman, Mr. W. R. Tuck, said it was remarkable to find such a wide variation. The committee reserved its decision. MANY CASES FILED FIRST APPEAL LODGED Up to the end of last week, 216 applications for consent to property transactions had been received by the Auckland Urban Land Sales Committee since October 3L stated the chairman, Mr. W. R. Tuck, yesterday. During last week, 66 applications were filed. The committee had dealt with 88 so far, and 46 of those had been considered lastweek, wben consent was granted in 38 cases. ' * The first appeal to the Land Sales Court against a decision of the Auckland Urban Land Sales Committee had been lodged, added Mr. Tuck. He suggested that issues in appeals should be clearly stated by appellants, as the committee had to state the grounds of its decision. It was_ his desire that it should simply state its case, and should not try to defend its decision.

SETTLING SOLDIERS ROTARY CLUB ADDRESS The Rehabilitation Act was the finest legislation that any Government had enacted in the interest of ex-ser-vicemen and ex-servicewomen, said Mr. A. P. Postlewaite, president of the Auckland branch of the Returned Services Association, in an address to the Auckland Rotary Club yesterday. Unfortunately, the spirit the Act had not been adhered to. The practical application of the provisions was unsatisfactory, and would continue so unless the evils of centralisation were corrected and an independent Rehabilitation Department created, controlling its own destinies, and having a separate Parliamentary vote for its own finances. There were, he said, too many delays; too many bottlenecks. The Government should set up a committee of inquiry to consider the problem of rehabilitation and make recommendations for the successful functioning of the scheme. The Disabled Servicemen's Reestablishment League was the only body that could deal with men from the last war. Training was needed for the professions and industries. Due to shortage of manpower, a great number of men were finding temporary employment in blind alley occupations, but later technical colleges and training schools would be required to take large numbers of men. A large number of visitors were present, including representatives from many Rotary clubs in the Dominion and overseas, and they were welcomed by the president, Mr. A. K. North. It was stated that the charter of the newly-formed Paeroa Club would be presented at a special meeting of that club on December 14.

DECLINING BIRTHRATE CANBERRA. Dec. 0 "Australia's quite ominously declining birthrate is closely associated with tho housing shortage," says a report by tho National Health and Medical Research Council which will be submitted to a conference of the Federal and State Ministers of Health this week. The report says that refrigerators, washing machines and other laboursaving devices aro essential to the health of housewives, and should be in every post-war homo.