LAND VALUATIONS.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12926, 17 March 1906, Page 6

LAND VALUATIONS.

DISSATISFACTION AT "GERALDINE. DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER.

At Geraldine yesterday the Premier was by ? le6Srs Skinuer > Kelman, Campbell, Kennedy and Tavlor. as representatives of the Land Tax' League Mr Skinner said that if the League had known of Mr Seddon's visit- in time they would have nlled a big hall. Tliev ivere much cussatisfied with the manner of making land valuations. They demanded a : local valuer to assist the Government omcer. Strong objection Tras taken to al- ; terations being made in values after the rlr ? * eft a l )lac e- They objected to the valuations being based on sales onlv. without reference to the quality of the land. They felt that they had no friend m the Assessment Court, the valuer being *, to against Lalf » dozen farmers, -ir Alex. Kelman said that- the farmers were going to be ruined by the taxes raised on increasing valuations. * Mi- J Campbell said they wanted onlv iair valuations, and valuations made o"i sales on terms were not fair. Cash s;>Jex would be very much lower. The Countv Oouncu should appoint a local valuer. The farmers pay for water races, yet are not credited with them as improvement, while they largely add to land values. Mr Kelman said that local bodies alwavs rate as high as possible. I Mr Seddon said that this was a question. The Government did not wish to see land values unduly inflated; as this was a danger to the State. The colony was interested in the Bank of New Zealand, which as lenders might make losses, and these hit the public. All thev wished was to get at- the fair market value. (Hear, hear). When, here last he was told that Mr Kelman had given a high price for a piece of land. The valuer would take Mr Kelman's judgment of the value and any neighbour would be raised to rthat level. What was a valuer to do otherwise? •

Mr Kelman explained that he bought the land to close a gap, giving more for it than the market value. Mr Seddon asked for a list of farmers who were over-valued— (" The_whole district") —let them put in the wiole of the land- ."under offer to the Government. Mr Kelman: It's my home. I don't •want to selL The Premier : We are buyers of land. The Land Purchase Board -v. 11l 100 kintd it. ' ~ - - Mr Kelman: If yon want to send us back to Scotland, say bo; -and that is the way to do it. It is my home. The Premier : Well, that is its value to you. Mr Kelman: The whole district is overvalued. _Mr Campbell: Men with mortgages want high - values. ( Mr Seddon: What is the average value of land in the district?—£l2? A Voice: More than that. Mr Seddon : I put a reasonable test; Are you prepared to sell at the price? Mr Campbell: If a farmer wishes to sell, will the Government buy if the price suits? ' 1 Mr Seddon: As far as I know I believe they would. We allow owners to fix rl-e : r own value,, and we add 10 per ce«t anr' it. I am sure that Mr Kelaian wo..H not- accept that.

Mr Ke man said that they did not like the frequent, and large increases that were driving old settlers off the land. Mr Seddon said the land valuation was a very difficu.t- thing. As to local valuers to be appo:;it*d by the County Counti!, the valuers would be the Council's employees and won a be likely to get- into hot water with their employers if the}* put up their land valuations. He did not like to hear the reflection the Magistrate in the Assessment- Court, bv s::ying that- they had no friend in the CV'-' t The Magistrate certainly was cot. biassed in favour of the Government. Mr Kchnm, said that he did not mean that. In reply, a remark that they wished was a farmer. Mr Seddon said "that- lie came of a tirming familv and had the lullest sympathy with fanners. Mr Sedoon repeated some of the explanations that -li; Mills Im-1 given the other daf. and the deputation thanked him for his ;!t----tention.