Government Valuation Methods.

Southland Times, Issue 19725, 27 January 1906, Page 1

Government Valuation Methods.

To the Editor. Sir—One day lust week, while working on my section at South iuvetca’gill, two gentlemen—one middle aged anl the oilier quite young— called upon me and enquired if 1 owned the section I v'as working on. I replied that 1 did, and they then informed me that they ‘Vere tne Government valuers for South Invercargill

borough. Now, Sir, from what little conversation: there was in my presence, and as our property has uot been valued as we think it should for some years, I decided to make enquiries about the gentlemen above referred to re capabilities, etc., and I find that the old gentleman is the valuer for the country districts (which is a very different thing to valuing town property) anti the other is a young 1 iuau from the North Island, who, as for as X can learn, has never had anything to do with such work—which I may say to my, mind, requires n very .capable man to do.; Therefore he can know little about the v alue of property in South Invercargill borough. This is not to bo wondered at seeing that men who have spent most ol I heir lives in the land business hero sometimes diffen very much in the .value of land at South Invercargill. But of course* the Department do not care one Jot as long ns the people sit meekly by and pay through the nose for the experience that is being gained by their amateur, valuers. Surely, the Minister for Lands, or whoever is responsible for the control of the Department to which these valuers belong, does not think that the people of South Invercargill are going to sit quietly by and allow things to goj on as they arc going. Wo must nil rise in a body and bring the matter befone our member, and see that wo get men to fill these responsible positions that we have some confidence in, not “strangers to the town." —I am, etc., ' "DISGUSTED."Jttuuary 26.