ASSESSMENT COURT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15593, 9 August 1921, Page 4

ASSESSMENT COURT.

I THE TRIBUNALS WORK. The President of- the Assessment Court, Mr. V. Oi Day, i<M., slated this morn•ing' that, the Court, since, it* commence meot and re-constitution, had conducted sittings in all parts"or both Islands. Iho only difference in the new constitution, <h© stated, was the appointment -of a per* manent, president, while the assessors wwe appointed in the visual way, oneW represent the Government and one to Watch the interests of local bodies. Mi Day is of the opinion that- objectors ; should not be entitled to offer their properties to the Government at the valua- • tidnset up bv the Government valuers. The objector still has the right to oflei his property to the Government, who either purchase, or reduce the valuation to meet the objector and owner, of- such property. In his opinion it is useless to set up an Assessment- Court, when :ohjectors can go .behind, it. Mr Day stated that probably at the next ses-sion-of Parliament the special clause giving that right'to the owners of property, would be repealed. The Court opone'd at Dunedin on June 11th., where the first sittings were held. On June 15th. the Court travelled to Naseby, in Ota-go Central, then doinj; CAvde,' returning to Dunedin on .Tun* 21st. Balclutha .was then visited, and the Court proceeded to Christchruch, and on June 27th. the members went to Wellington, atid straight up to Whangnrei. .On June 30th. the Court sat at Whan garci and returned to Auckland the same day" On "July 4th. and sth. the Court was engaged*in taking the Auckland work. The following other places were then visited: Pukehohe on July Bth., Hnntly on the 9th., Hamilton on July 10th.," and Cambridge on the following day, Te Awamutu on' July 12th., and Auckland again on 15th. Wellington was reached on July 20th.,,the Sitting there lasting three days. At Marion the work occupied ■ July 28th. and the four following days, The Farmers' Union brought along and defended a large number of objections, of which number 60 were heard, and the others mutaully Fettled by the valuer and the objectors. The Court returned to Wellington qii August 3rd.*, and on the sth. left foi Gisborne. On Thursday Mr. Day will leave Gisborne for Wellington, to complete the work, and at the end of next week he will jro to Auckland, then (,<- Morrinsvilte. Thames, Coromaodel, and Whakntane. When the Northern work is "finished the Court' preweecls. to Hit; South Island. The work, in '.Mr.[Day's opinion, will la>t another flux? months yet.- '-,'.'• ■ '. ' ■■"■'■■ ■_•■.. The out.standing fen tine of the work fo far, has been the lair valuations made by the Gpvernment valuers',. M # t.y Day plates. The two assessors in. every toivr where thei'.Cmfr.t. ban snt, have also noficed that the valuations imposed were on a fair basis. " The trouble in the pas; was occasioned by the irregular fashion in "which the valuations were imposed. The system now was much more efficient. That was certainly borne nut. bv reason of the fact, that in all places visited, the sittings"of the. Court -have been of short duration.,*