COUNTY VALUES.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 August 1923, Page 4

COUNTY VALUES.

OBJECTIONS FROM TARANAKI.

ASSESSMENT COURT TO SIT*

(By Whe.—Parliamentary Reporter.F ’ Wellington, Last Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P. for Taranaki, has received a letter from the Prime Minister with reference to the deputation whfch waited on him regarding the values recently assigned to properties in the Taranaki and Inglewood counties. Mr. Massey says: “I have to inform you that I have now received a memorandum from the Valuer-General, in which he states that he has again care r fully considered the values and is satisfied that the reduction in the unimvalue offered by the department is a fair and reasonable percentage. The reduction claimed by tbe Ratepayers’ Association is, however, so greatly in excess of the reduction offered that in justice to the owners of land in adjoining counties the department could not accede to the claim. Tn accordance, therefore, with the provision sof the Valuation of Land Act an Assessment Court will be set up in due . course to hear and determine objections to values in the Taranaki County. As regards the Inglewood ratepayers, the Valuer-Gen-eral states that in accordance with my promise he again extended the period for receiving objections to values by 14 days and the ratepayers have taken full advantage of it.

“The position with regard to the valuations is as follows: In the Taranaki County there are 1887 assessments, to which 7T2 objections have been lodged. Reductions in the unimproved value were offered in practically every case, and 351 owners have declined to accept the reductions offered by the department, 10 have accepted the reductions and 588 have not repllad to the department’s offer. In the Inglewood County the number of assessments ia 1920 and 193 objections have been lodged. Counties which have not objected to values will be fairly dealt with. The department has promised to make such reductions in values as will cqnfohn to the decision of the Court in order to preserve the relative of values throughout .the comities.