VALUATION AND TAXATION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2527, 20 September 1888, Page 3

VALUATION AND TAXATION.

— <» TO TIIK KDITOIt, gm,—lt was recently stated in Tim Waikato Timks that Mr John Everslcy of Richmond had been appointed valuator for the Piako county. No person of that name is known there but if one was to tro to hunt for the valuator probably lie would be found. I presume that aitci the ancient custom of the Norman conquerors of England and the more recent fashion of the Ayrshire farmers, your correspondent gave to the person the name of the place, Be that as it may a very great eliaugc must be made in the valuation or great injustice will be done, I will give a very few in my own experience and doubtless there are hundreds in the experience .of others. Number 1. 12.000 acres, at one time sold (but not Aid for), for £2,300, valuation, £8500. T» s has been pressed on me at £500, and o'eclined. No. 2. Lots in the village of Waiorongomai valuations before the mining " boom " there £40 cach j have been sold since the boom began at 40s each. No. 3 : Valuation £390. lam out of pocket for improvements, &c., about that. I offered to the Government for a £100 4 percent, debenture, but my offer was declined. No 4: Farm land, has cost me over £400 for outlay, &c. ; the valuation, £350. I gave this away for £9U thankfully. No. 5 : Mount Pleasant, 427 acres, once sold for £1200, but not paid for. The valuation is £750. I offered it to the mortgagor at almost any price, and to forgive him years of back interest, and charge him i only 5 per cent, for what would be fixed J at the future price, but he declined my offer. We tried auction, I paying cost, but not a bid given. Mr W. S. Allen, of England, who oh ns the adjoining Annandalc Estate offers privately £215 as it lay into his place, This was de clined, and I took it at £300, loosing about £1000 by the fall in values These valuators entirely overlook the fact that in sonic cases the whole, and in others more than the annual values, of properties are insufficient to meet the burden of taxations, and consequently such properties are worth nothing or less than nothing The whole value of property is going in taxation and Government, General aud Local in New Zealand is but organised confiscation, and the tax collector, and the sheriffs bailiff, becoming the moat prominent officials. I thought to have made a home again amongst you, but for all they overtax me, they will not even get me a road to my place at mi/ own cost. Property here is a liability rather than an asset. It will not pay the taxes and the cost of working, and toil as wo will to improve it, it seems that we are only working for the tax gatherer. Fortunately with other means I am not dependent on New Zealand farming, but 1 feel deeply to see so many good settlers starved out and abandoning the place, and the whole country falling into the hands of the managers of absentees or the bailiffs and stewards of loan companies, and yet our statesmen (?) see only how to increase taxation and the burdens of over-government, while many of our most enterprising colonists are abandoning New Zealand as if plague stricken, Wm. Akch. Murray.