PROPERTY-TAX VALUATION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 897, 10 May 1889, Page 31

PROPERTY-TAX VALUATION.

The triennial sitting of the Board of Reviewers appointed to decide objections to the property-tax valuations, was begun in the Magistrate’s Court Tuesday morning. The Board consisted of Messrs E. Pearce (chairman), J. Lockie, and H. Jackson. Mr J. Sperrey (Property Tax Commissioner) represented the Department, and Mr T. Kennedy Macdonald, valuer, appeared in support of the valuations. The following cases ware dealt with : THOENDON WAKD. An objection was made by Mr J. M. Cleland to the assessment of L4BO on an eight-roomed dwelling occupied by him near the Suspension Bridge. The amount was reduced to U3OO. H. W. Curtis applied for a reduction of the valuation of L 1176 on his house and land in Tinakori-road, for which he stated he would be willing to take L9OO. The Board reduced the amount to LIOOO. LAJIBION WAJRD. The valuation of L 3060 on several shops on Lambton-quay, near the Supreme Court buildings, was objected to by J. M. Oleland, who stated that they would not fetch more than E2OOO. The Valuer stated that Mr Cleland was receiving nine per cent on his investment. Mr Cleland explained that the shops would not let readily, and after he had paid rates, insurance, etc., he did not get nine per cent. No reduction was made. John Compton objected to the valuation of LI2OO on his property in Willisstreet as excessive. He explained that the rental was LIOO. The valuer said lit would offer Mr Compton LI3OO for his property. The Board declined to make any reduction. •., An objection by D. Drake to the valuation of L 385 on house and land in Ghuznee-street was disallowed. John Duthie contested the valuation of L 2750 on his residence in Percivalstreet. Mr Menteatli, who represented Mr Duthie, stated that about 26ft of the garden adjoining the residence had been found to belong to the street. Mr Macdonald said the street would never be altered, and therefore the value of the property had. not depreciated. Mr J. Ames (City

Valuer), called by the objector, stated that when he made his assessment of L 2460 he was not aware that 26ft of tlie garden belonged td the street. Had lie kiloWii this life Vould not have put such a high valuation Oil the property. The valuation was reduced to L2suu. Mr Menteath, bn behalf of Mr Duthie, also objected to the valuation of five leasehold shops in Willis-street (L 2000). The valuer said the property was a most valuable one, having three frontages, a,nd in round figures Mr Duthie Was receiving LSOO a year Tental from it. Mr Macdonaled added that he had been commissioned to purchase land in Victoria-street at L6O a foot, but could not get any. In answer to Mr Menteath, he said the last sale of land in Victoria-street was at LSO per foot. The reviewers refused to make any reduction. Mr Travers (on behalf of Mrs Rose Harding) objected to the valuation of L3BOO on property at the corner of Willis and Manners-streets, upon whioh the Working Men’s Club is situate. Reduced to L 3500. An objection was made by Mr Travers, on behalf of Mr C. B. Izard, attorney for Dr Evans’ estate, to the assessment of L2IOO on the property occupied by Mr Ludwig, on Lambton-quay. The Board reduced the amount to L 1750. Mr C. W. Smith, on behalf of Mr George Ireland, applied for a reduction of the valuation of L 1650 on Town Acre 121, Abel Smith-street. Reduced to LloOO. Mr J. Jones made an application for a reduction of the valuation of L 635 on his property in Upper Willis-street, which was refused. Mr D. T. Stuart, as representative of Mr John Howard Keep, applied to have the assessment reduced on properties in Featherston and Hunter-streets, which were valued at L 4150 and LBOOO respec tively. He stated that three years ago the properties were valued at L2OOO less than at present. Mr J. Ames (City Valuer) valued the property in Feather-ston-street at L 3450, and the Hunterstreet property at L 6700. The Board reduced the Featlierston-street proper to L 3450 and the Hunter-street to L 6700. The valuation of a house and shop situate at the corner of Ingestre and Willis-streets, owned by Mr A. 11. Knigge, at 1,440 and L 590 respectively, were sustained. The application of Mr J. Tetford for a reduction in the valuation of LIO7O on his property in Cuba-street, was refused. An objection was made by Mr A. H. Knigge to the valuation on several properties in Ingestre-street, amounting in all to L 1662. The Board declined to make any reduction. An application was made by Mr W. F. Ross for a reduction of the valuation of LIBSO of his shop on Lambton-quay. The valuation was sustained. Mr A. E. Rcwden, on behalf of Mrs Rhodes, objected to the assessments of properties in Cornhill-street and Lamb-ton-quay, valued at L 2050 and L 1362 respectively. [Mr E. Pearce retired from the Bench during the hearing of this objection, as he was a trustee in Mrs Rhodes’ estate.] The Board reduced the amounts to LISOO and L 1250 respectively. Mr D. T. Stuart, on behalf of Mr A. P. Stuart, objected to the valuation of L 3630 on several shops on Lambton-quay (opposite the Government Buildings), and called Mr J. Ames, who valued the land at L 2400, and the building, which he described as an old one, at LSOO. The valuation was sustained. Applications by Mr Andrew Young for a reduction of the valuation of L 620 on property in Abel Smith-street, of Ll9lO ai'd LB6O on properties in Willisstreet, and L7OO on property in Brandonstreet, were refused. ■ The Board made a reduction of LIOO on another property of Mr Young’s in ' Brandon-street, assessed at LSOO. Mr Brown, on behalf of Sir W. L. Buffer, objected to the valuation of LI6OO each upon two city acres in Ingestrestreet. No reduction made. The Board reduced the valuation of L 4120 to L3BOO on Sir W. L. Buffer's residence on The Terrace. Mr G. F. Bishop, representing Ann T. Bishop, of Ingestre-street, asked for a reduction on two properties in Ingestrestreet, assessed at LIO9O and LI6OO respectively. The amounts were reduced to LIOOO and LISOO respectively. By consent, another property on Lambtonquay, belonging to Mrs Bishop, was reduced from L 1650 to LI4OO. . The Board then adjourned until next morning, when objections to valuations in Te Aro and Cook Wards will be heard.