CITY VALUER’S RETIREMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20060, 29 March 1927, Page 13

CITY VALUER’S RETIREMENT

EULOGISTIC REFERENCES. At tho conclusion of a short sitting of the Assessment Court yesterday, Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., who presided, made some appreciative remarks concerning the City Valuer, Air David Duncan, who is about to retire after 53 years’ service. Mr Bartholomew said ho understood that this was the last occasion on which Mr Duncan would appear before the Assessment Court as city valuer. Mr Duncan had served for many years in the capacity of city valuer, and ho (Mr Bartholomew), as judge of tlie Assessment Court, could not allow the occasion to pass without recording his appreciation of the very valuable manner in which Mr Duncan had carried out Id's duties. The work of t lie court had been light, and this was due, to a largo extent to the preliminary work of Mr Duncan and his assistants. It was usual for many objections to bo lodged, but of these .only about 10 per cent, came before the court. Most of the objections, too, wore the result of the system rather than the assessment. It must be satisfactory to Mr Duncan to know that he carried into his retirement the memory ot duty well and faithfully done. lie wished him a happy retirement, and a long life to enjoy it. Mr A. H. Tonkinson, on behalf of the legal profession, endorsed Mr Bartholomew’s remarks. He said it reflected great credit on Mr Duncan that so few assessments had been objected to. Ho had always found Mr Duncan very willing to meet any rational objection that was put before him. He wished Mr Duncan a happy and quiet retirement. Mr Duncan thanked the two speakers heartily for their kind remarks. Like that of the policeman, the valuer’s lot was not always a happy one, but ho had endeavoured during hie terra of office to meet the general public in a fair manner, and to adjust matters in fairness to the corporation and to the ratepayers. Ho wished to thank the court staff for the kindness anci courtesy they had invariably extended to him.