ASSESSMENT COURT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144070, 15 April 1913, Page 4

ASSESSMENT COURT.

BOROUGH VALUATIONS. After we ivciit to press on Monday tho following cases of objectors to tho new valuations camo before Air. A. Crooke, S.M. Tho New Plymouth Theatre Company ; proposed valuation £6OO. Ai r. W. Rowley (chairman) arnica red for tho company, and stated that the theatre had been sold that day for £7BOO, or together with its properties, for £B2OO. This property, ho said, was bought nir/e years a"o for £7400, and the revenue derived last year was £B9O, which had cost £555 to earn. For somo years previously no revenue had been derived from it, and no dividend had been paid. Tho present revenue had been mainly earned as the result of the picture show which had been running there.. Any one paying £350 rent for the place Would bo working for nothing. / Reduced to £390.

Alary Ami Foote: Property situated at Fit’zroy; proposed valuation £47. Reduced to £37. Julia Goad: Afr. A. 11. Johnstone for objector. Property situated at Dartmoor, proposed valuation £27. Air. .Mills admitted this, stating that owing to a clerical error the name had been stated as Miss Julia. Goad. It should have read Mr, J. IT. Goad.

'Miss,Good then proceeded with tho objection. ■ „ Air. Corkill said he valued tho land at £250, and tho buildings at £125. The cottage was built 13 years ago, and was occupied by. Afiss Goad. It consisted .of four rooms, built one behind the other with no passage. ; To Air. Mills:'Ho'had/not.examined the house, and did not know what other buildings were on tho section. Miss- Goad gave evidence,, stating that she valued the property at £450. 'There were, .sho said, no conveniences, ho bath-room, passage or scullery.

Reduced to £2O. ,' . i," George Grey:■ Property situated at Vogcltown: proposed valuation £6O/: Mr. A. H. Johnstone: appeared for the objector.! Mr. Corkill said in evidence that ho .was well acquainted with tho property, which ,was situated on an unformed street, which still had the natural grass on. Tho property originally belonged to Mr. George Woodhonse. and was. he estimated, 13 years old. Ho valued it at £BOO. *” i Further consideration of the caso was held, over, in order to obtain the evidence of tho objector. Chew Chong; Mr. A. H. Johnstone for tho objector. .Tins case, together'with some others on a similar plane, will be the subject of a consultation between counsel and Mr. Mills, who have agreed,to arrange the matter if possible'out of court, James Clarke; Property situated- in .Eliot Street. Air. A. IT. Johnstone for the objector. Proposed valuation £36.—Reduced by consent to £3O. Arthur Avery: Property situated in Devon Street, near the Hemti Bridge. Mr. A. H. Johnstone for tho objector. Proposed valuation £4o.—Reduced by consent to £42. James M‘Neil: Property situated in Devon Street Bast, near tho Red House Hotel. Mr. A. H. Johnstone for the objector. Proposed valuation £137. Mr. Corkill stated in evidence that tho preuerty was bdught throe years ago for '£2o per foot. , ’ ' Mr. Mills estimated the value of tho frontage at £42 per foot, which was, he said, a”fair value for a frontage in this locality. Tho case was ordered to stand down, pending verification'of evidence by the owner of the property. Nicholas T. Maunder: Property situated in Vivian Street. Air. A. H. Johnstone for tho objector. Proposed valuation £B9. Air. Corkill gave evidence that in October. 1909, Mr. Maunder obtained the lease of the property in question (one and a-half acres) at £2O per'annum, with a renewable lease clause. ,Ths land was quite unsuitable for purposes of cutting up. He placed a 'value of £COO on the buildings. . Air. Mills said there were eleven, sections in tho block, and he placed a value of £2OO on each of them. Ho con tended that'they had a frontage on to Vivian Street. Air. Johnstone, in tho course of a long cross-examination, compared the valuation of this property with that of a. property i somewhat similar not far away, which had been valued at about half the amount, but Air. Alills contended that the property in' question was a more desirable, one on account of the fine view and general surroundings, although he admitted-that the frontage to Vivian Street only gave access to .the section on which Air. Alannder’s house was built, which was on a ridge CO foot'high. , . : . Eventually his Worship reduced the valuation to £66. Tho court then adjourned .to 13 o’clock to-day, provided the civil, session of tho court was over by that hour.