LAND SALES COURT

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 23029, 21 October 1944, Page 4

LAND SALES COURT

Procedure Questioned (F.0.P.R.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 20. The Minister in Charge of the Valuation Department (the Hon. C. F. Skinner) urged by Mr C. G. Harker (National, Waipawa) in the House to-day to make a check to see that the practice did not grow up of only one valuer being called in connection with property transactions before the Land Sales Court, when two valuations had been made.

Mr Harker said that he had been credibly informed that, at a recent appeal from the rescision of a Land Sales Committee, there were two Government valuers present in the Land Sales Court, one of whom had valued the property at a substantially higher amount than the other. Only the valuer who had valued the property at the lower sum was called, the other valuation not being put before the Court. It appeared to him to be an entirely wrong principle. Surely, he added, it was the Government’s duty to call both valuers, so as to afford the Court the fullest possible information. If the other procedure he had mentioned was to be practised generally, it would be a most dangerous and vicious practice. The Minister said that a disparity in values would always occur. Valuing was not an exact science, but was based on the experienced Opinions Of individuals. Mr Harker: Therefore all opinions should be given. Tire Minister said that he would certainly have inquiries made of the exact procedure followed. It was the duty of the Crown representative on Land Sales Committees to submit the evidence supplied to him by valuers. He had had no case brought to his notice such as had been mentioned by Mi- Harker, but he would make inquiries. The Crown was desirous of treating everyone as fairly as possible and of stabilising land prices.