VALUATION OF MINING PROPERTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2303, 21 April 1898, Page 18

VALUATION OF MINING PROPERTIES.

(From Our Own Correspondekt. ) Auckland, April 16. Jn connection with the valuations placed upon luinicg properties by the Government a new pbsse of the question has presented itself, and that ie, How were the valuations made ? It was generally suppoaed that the valuations were made by the valaers on behalf of the, Government, bub from information which has come under tbe notice of the press it would appear that in some cases the valuer himself was oaVrely ignorant of the fact that a valuation bad been made and that he was never consulted in the matter. It would therefore appear from this that the Government bave simply placed certain values upon properties without a valuation having been made by the Government valuers, and it would be upon such valuations that any tax would ba imposed were such introduced. Though the Government have intimated that no extra taxation is intended, still the fact remains thafc absurdly high valuations have been placed upon properties without even an adherence to the usual practice of having a valuation made by those appointed for the purpose. As previoudy useobioned, objaetions havo been lodged by almost every company ; and the Government, through the department, are now asking the representatives of mining companies to withdraw their objections, for the reason that no additional taxation is to be. imposed, and that the valuations were merely made for certain purposes of the Government. In the large majority of cases, however, the companies have declined to withdraw, and intend adhering to their objections.