ASSESSMENT COURT

Southland Times, Issue 16785, 13 July 1911, Page 3

ASSESSMENT COURT

AN AWARUA OBJECTION. There was only one objection heard in the Assessment Court on Monday to the assessment of valuation in Awarua Riding of Southland County. The Court was constituted as follows: —Dir G. Cruickshank, S.DI. (President), and Dlessrs Wm. Dlenzies -and Wm. Forrester (Assessors). Dir T. L. Oswin appeared on behalf of the Valuation Department. The case was as follows; — Emma Catherine Colyer, owner of Lot 18, Woodstock Estate, 330 acres—capital value £2,397 (unimproved £1,815, improvements £582). Dir J. R. Colyer appeared for the objector, and explained that the property was bought in 1905 at £5 an acre, and at that time it was absolutely run out. In one place where grass had been sown down not even grass would grow. There was about 70 acres of swamp; the rest had been put down in good new grass. He would be satisfied if the capital value were left at the same figure as had been assessed. In answer to a question by Dir Smalll, the valuer, DXr Colyer said that in his opinion there was not any land at all in Dlorton Dlains that was worth £9 an acre. Dir Smalll, outlined in detail to the Court the different items for which he had allowed valuation for improvements, as follows:—Buildings, £215, 410 chains fencing £l4O, 30 chains open drain £5, clearing £62, grass on 280 acres £l4O, roads, crossings, and yards £2O; total £582. The unimproved valuation was slightly less than that of the surrounding land owing to about 40 acres of swamp. He had allowed 10s an acre for the grass; had never allowed more than £1 or £1 5s an acre for grass and did not allow for ploughing. (The chief discrepancy between the objector’s suggestions for improvements and the valuer's was in respect of the grass land £B4O, as against £140). The assessment was readjusted on lines suggested by the Department as a reasonable compromise, to the following effect.—Capital value, £2,482; unimproved, £1,652; improvements, £B3O.