CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3556, 9 May 1922, Page 16

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Clr.tha County Council was attended \y Messrs Jas. Camming (chairman), D. R. Jack, Robert MTnd-oe, W. S. Thomson, A. T. Harris, Alex. M’lntyre, Hy. Morrison, Thos. Maginness, "Wm. Lawson, and A. North. Cr Maginne-ss referred to the over-valua-tions in Catlins Riding, and. said it puthim in the position of having to pay more by £220 a year towards the general expenses. Three of the other ridings had not been valued for eight or nine years. All the ridings should be brought up-to-date, as at present the position was most unfair to Catlins, and there would be very little money left for roads in his riding. Some more equitable method should be found of sharing the general expenses. He ventured to say that there was no other land in New Zealand that had been increased by nearly 100 per cent, in five years. Protests had been made by various ratepayers for revaluation, but the department had “turned them down.’’ If the department could value land when prices were booming, they could! do so when prices were low, otherwise the officials were not fit for their jobs. He would move that the department he asked to bring all valuations up-to-date. Cr North seconded. Cr M’lntyre objected, and said that in his riding the valuers came last year, but the ratepayers objected, and it was only fair that a chance be given to the farmer® to get on their feet. Cr Harris endorsed the last speaker's remarks. The Chairman said the valuers had decided that unless they could make an in crease it was no use making a new valuation. In his own riding a number of farms that were in the market could not be sold at the Government valuation. Cr Morrison said he agreed with Cr Maginness. The system of valuing was “rotten.” Why could not all the ridings t,e valued in one year, in place of two or three ridings in one year, as was the case at present ? Cr Maginness said Clvdevale, Catlins, and Maclennan had been valued twice in eight years, and some of the other ridings had not been valued at all in that time. Cr Ja-ck said he would be in favour of the department reducing the values where they were too high. Cr Maginness said one-third of Catlins Riding was in bush, and the values placed on the land were excessive. The Chairman: “Taranaki of the South.”— (Laughter.) Cr Maginness said in the case of the Waipalii and Glenkenich (adjoining ridings), the difference in the values was 24 per cent. The Chairman: Two different valuers, ot course.—(Laughter.) Cr Jack moved as an amendment that the Valuation Department be asked to revalue the whole county with a view to reducing the values. 4 Cr Thomson, in seconding, said he had purchased! a small place the other day at three times less than the Government value. Cr M'lntyre said the values in his riding were too high. Cr Maginness: And your riding was valued in 1914, and mine was valued again in 1920. If Cr M'lntyre and other councillors can’t see their way to support my proposal then I shall have to resign in justice to my ratepayers. Cr North said he would support the amendment if the words “with a view to reducing the values” be struck out. Cr Jack: Well, I’m agreeable to that. The amendment as altered was then carried unanimously.