ROUND ABOUT THE ASSESSMENT COURT.

Southern Cross, Volume 24, Issue 15, 5 August 1916, Page 9

ROUND ABOUT THE ASSESSMENT COURT.

(By "Stroller") For three days last week' and two days this week the cumbersome machinery of the Assessment Court has been in motion, with the result that up to date about £16,700, or about 15 per cent, of the proposed valuations, has been written off the values of those ratepayers who are objecting, and consequently those who are not objecting will have to bear a heavier burden than those who have appealed ; but this will be translated into figures later on when the rate notices come round. With the view of ascertaining how the business is conducted, I have been strolling into the Court from time to tjime, and a few remarks may prove acceptable t,o the readers of the "Southern Cross."

Differences of opinion are constantly occurring between the solicitors, and it is difficult to foresee when the proceedings will terminate. The Magistrate- stated on Thursday that he was arranging to give three days to the work next week, commencing from Monday. Mr C. W. Brown, who is the. principal witness for the. objectors, stated at the outset of, the proceedings that in his opinion 15 per cent would, be quitje sufficient to add to the old roll for business areas, and that the old values might very well stand for residential areas in Invercargill, wiyi some necessai-y revisions in the suburbs. This view is opposed by Mr Varcoe, who states that the roll has been comlpiled by the record . of *•' sales, commonsense, and systems." Under cross-examination by Mr Lillicrap, Mr Varcoe admitted that he had several "systems.'' Mr Lillicrap pointed out to the Court that whichever system was adopted it inevitably led up to increased unimproved valuations, and so the dreary round of argument and counter-argument goes on. The results so far announced should prove satisfactory to the objectors, although the process is a most cumbersome one. Mr Macalister stated that by a ruling of the Supreme Court the "productivity" of a property had nothing to do with the unimproved value. The Court has not apparently taken this view, as the valuation of Lewis's building, which has a good rent roll, has been allowed to stand, while the Bank of N.S.W,, which shows a poor return for the capital invested, has secured a reduction of £IBSO. In nearly every case which has come before the Court a reduction has been made. To show how opinions vary in regard to valuations. Price and Bulleid's corner .may be taken as an example : This was valued by Mr Varcoe at £B3OO, by Mr WaUis at £7OOO, by Mr Brown at £6900 : the valuation was ultimately fixed by the Court at £7400, being a 4 the rate of about ■23 per cent, on the 1911 valuations. . The proposed valuation on Mr Tapper's municipal lease at the corner of Dee and Gala streets, which was before the Court on Thursday, was 100 per cent, in advance of the 1911 valuation.

valuation, although it is at present a garden plot. Under cross-examina-tion, Mr Tapper stated that he would consider the man who suggested building shops on the section a lunatic. No extra revenue could be obtained in that, way at present. It is expected that the decision of the Court in regard to a further batch of properties will be announced on Monday morning.