URBAN FARMERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26200, 10 July 1946, Page 7

URBAN FARMERS

PETITION FOR RELIEF I COMMISSION RESERVES DECISION The sitting of a Commission of Inquiry at Mosgiel to hear evidence in a case in which three petitioners whose farms are at present included in the Borough of Mosgiel and are rated on the borough unimproved value system sought to have their land brought under the control of the Taieri County Council, was concluded yesterday. Decision was reserved. The commission comprised Messrs A. E. Dobbie, S.M. (chairman), W. E. Shaw (Commissioner of Crown Lands), and J. Wilson (Chief Government Valuer). Mr N. W. Allan appeared for the petitioners, and Mr E. J. Anderson with Mr R. L. Fairmaid, for the Mosgiel Borough Council, an objecting party to the petition. The petitioners were Elizabeth A. Wilkins, James Brown, and William James Reid. Henry Louis Paterson, a registered surveyor and civil engineer, of Dunedin. said there were 200 vacant sections in Mosgiel. Generally speaking, the popularity of sections at present depended on whether the areas sought were sewered. Witness maintained that Mosgiel might not necessarily be retained as a borough, but in the future it might be amalgamated with Dunedin as a suburb of the city. Farms must automatically disappear as the demand for buildings increased. Question of Section Values In answer to counsel, witness said the borough of Mosgiel could be broken up to exclude the existing areas which were unsuitable for sub-division and bring in other areas which were more favourable In his opinion, the property of Wilkins and Brown had some potential value for settlement,. but in the case of Reid's property thfere was no immediate potential value, apart from farming. The fact was that people would not buy sections in Reid’s locality. People were not seeking Mosgiel sections in particular, but would take a section anywhere within about a 10 miles radius. James Alexander Macdonald, a land and estate agent, of Dunedin, said that in 1925 his firm had purchased some of Reid’s property from the Mosgiel Borough Council, with an undertaking to subdivide the whole property purchased. All the allotments were sold at auction in 1927, and there were no Mosgiel residents among the purchasers. Owing to trouble with certain of the purchasers some of tne sales had to be cancelled. There were several of the allotments in the sub-division still unsold, and his firm had been pressing .the sale for the past 20 years. In regard to the future of Reid’s farm property, witness was of the opinion that the block would be a farm in 50 years’ time. The locality was apparently not favoured by local residents. Evidence of the application of the special rating allowed under the Urban Farm Lands Act was given by Robert David Rogers, the town clerk of Mosgiel. In the past, witness said, some relief had been given to the urban taxpayers other than that provided for in the special conditions under the Act. The council had made an honest endeavour to keep the rating of farm lands under its control on a reasonable basis, and there had been no appeals io the Assessment Court under the Urban Farm Lands Act. When the witness presented comparative figures for rating in the borough, Mr Allen asked the Commission to draw its own analogy from the fact that the rates for a Mosgiel hotel last year were approximately £45, and those levied on Reid’s farm were £126. The rates for the Mosgiel Woollen Factory last year were £l2O 17s 6d. There were 23 such urban ’ands as the oetitioners’ in the borough, and Reid was the highest ratepayer. Mayor’s Evidence

William Patrick Hartstonge, Mayor of Mosgiel, said that the demand for houses in the borough began to improve about the years 1936 and 1937, and a really solid improvement was noted about the years 1938 or 1939. Thes econditions continued until the general serious housing shortage became apparent about the beginning of 1942. So far as vacant sections were concerned, these were always plentilul until about two years ago, when any difficulty in procuring a vacant section first became noticed. Since then tire position had rapidly become more difficult, and in spite of several subdivisions, the demand for vacant sections was very strong and the number available was limited. With regard to vacant sections generally, while there were a number of these still not built on in various parts of the borough, witness’s experience nad been that the owner was awaiting suitable conditions to build and would not sell. About two years ago the council, being of the opinion that there was likely to be a rapid and extensive growth in the borough, considered the position, and decided to make the necessary preparations so far as its responsibility lay. The council’s answer to the petitions was to be found in the heavy reductions given by the council in the rateable values of these properties under its powers under the Urban Farm Lands Rating Act, 1932. Asked by Mr Shaw whether the council had made any comparisons with the urban land on the area adjoining under county control, or attempted to assess the productivity of the farm land within the borough, witness replied in the negative. Mr Shaw said that a farmer nearby under county control paid £25, compared with £126 paid by Reid, for instance. Witness stated in reply that the council had made substantial reductions in the rating of the unimproved value of Reid’s farm. Edward Fletcher Roberts, the borougn engineer, gave evidence of the proposed improvement of stormwater disposal and extension of the sewerage system. Reid s land could be drained, he said, and apart from other factors besides drainage, witness was of the opinion that the block would be moderately easy to subdivide Evidence was also given by Alfred Fleming Quelch, estate agent, of Mosgiel, who said there was a general demand for houses in the borough and the demand exceeded the supply. Property seekers did not desire unsewered sections. Allan James Souter, a builder, of Mosgiel, said that he knew of 45 sections not for sale in the borough. He did not think these were being held by speculators but by persons who intended to build. Case Against Exclusion In his submissions on behali ol the Mosgiel Eorough Council, Mr Anderson drew attention to the points set out in the council’s objetion, and laid particular emphasis on the rating issue raised by counsel for the defendants. It was obvious that the petitioners Reid and Brown were not farming their land witli any great financial success, and their desire was simply for relief in the rates. That being so, their correct procedure was to appeal to the Assessment. Court, which was provided for in the Urban Farms Lands Rating Act. As for the question ol tire possibilities of the land being subdivided, Mr Anderson said he would only ask the commission to consider the evidence which had been placed before it. He would ask the commission to “ hasten slowly,” as Mosgiel had been well laid out by the pioneers, and one had to weigh the facts whether the borough was decadent or progressive. " Until the provisions of the Urban Lands Sales Act are exhausted the petitioners should not be allowed to take the extreme step of seeking severance,” Mr Anderson concluded. Petitioners’ Side Presenting the case on behalf of the three petitioners, Mr Allan said the only recourse for persons such as his clients under a general Act like the Urban Farm Lands Act was to petition to a commission of inquiry for relief. The one point for the commission to decide, he said, was whether the lands in question would ae required for the development of the borough at any future date. If the lands were to remain farm lands and were not to be subdivided, then they would be better off under county control. “The relief provided under the Urban Act has proved to be a hopeless failure," counsel said.