LAND SETTLEMENT

Waipa Post, Volume 37, Issue 2227, 27 October 1928, Page 4

LAND SETTLEMENT

VALUATION AND RATING SYSTEMS. (By Andrew Kay.) In the, early days of settlement in this district the valuers’ instructions were to determine what a property would realise in giold, if well advertised. Such a valuation was a good guide to a prospective buyer or to a banker. In later yeiags the valuers, were instructed to say what a property would bring on the terms current in the district. These terms were best described briefly as “ a small derposit and a large mortgage.” These values were golod for rating and taxing purposes only. Sir G. Fowlds, who joined the Seddon-Ward Ministry 23 years ago as, Minister for Education, introduced the;. Single-tax Bill, whereby the land would pay all taxes, and thus silks, satins, and whisky imported would be free. The Government of Which Sir Joseph. Ward and Sir G. (then Mr) Fowlds,) were prominent members, would dispose of the land only on a leasehold tenure. One such was the 999 years lease, A landowner then was regarded as a social pest. Some of those 'leaseholders had obtained a lump of good land on which they spent a lot of money, making the property very valuable. Then the rent was considered by the authorities to be too low, whereupon Sir G. Fowlds introduced his* Fair Rent Bill. By this legislation a leaseholder’s rent could be, doubled. . , When the Maoris offered their land for sale the Government was urged to buy considerable areas for settlement. However, the Government was a bit shiort of cash, and could not itself buy, but it generously indeed., magnanimously —permitted the Maon owners to dispose of their lands to the pakeha on a leasehold tenure only, thus creating a Maori landlord d-MS-The fallacy of rating on the uWmprovad values basis is very aptly put this way: I know two one-acre sections in Cambridge. One is owned by a commercial man who has built thereon a modern dwelling. He keeps a motor ear and employs a staff of servants. Tradesmen are calling at his homd every day. He has, a lot of property that requires some public protection. The adjoining section is owned by a clerk who walks tlo his work, causing little wear (and tear on the roads. He has a modest two or three-roomed cottage. His hobby is his garden, cultivation of flowers occupying his spare time. . His property requires little or no police protection. Yet both properties pay* the same rates and taxes.