DAVENPORT TRAGEDY

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19662, 23 August 1935, Page 6

DAVENPORT TRAGEDY

DUAL DEATH DUTY. STATION OFFERED AT £2OOO. TAX ASSESSABLE ON £BSOO. (Special to Times.) TE KUITI, Thursday. An appeal against the probate valuation of the sheep and cattle station at Rangitoto -owned by the Davenport family, tiie members of which lost their lives in the tragedy of October 9, 1934, was heard in tiie Magistrate’s Court to-day before Mr F. 11. Levien, S.M. A Maori youth killed Mr and Mrs G. M. Davenport and their son Albert on October 9 and as no evidence could he gained as who was killed first only one death duty was payable In that instance. However, another son, Edward Lancashire Davenport, was found fatally injured and as he did not die until two days later the property passed from his father to him and on his death then jointly to his uncle, Albert Edward Davenport, and his. aunt, Mrs Jane Stanford. The administrator, Albert Edward Davenport, appealed against the probate, and was represented by Mr E. M. Mackersey. Valuation Reduced. After investigations, the administrator instnuoted Mr Mackersey to put the property on the market for £4OOO. In the meantime the district valuer made the valuation for probate purposes. His valuation was £5290. After negotiations with the administrator, ho agreed to reduce the valuation to £4250. This matter was completed in December last and the sum of £ll7O was duly paid in the estate of G. M. Davenport, deceased. As, however, Edward Lancashire Davenport had died after his father, death duties would have to he paid on his estate. Also, not wishing to take up farming, the administrator soon after this decided to put the property on the market for £2OOO, and for some time past the property had been in agents’ hands for disposal at this figure. Decision Reserved. , The position, said Mr Mackersey, was really that, because of the double death duties, probate duties would have to be paid on £BSOO in respect _of a property which the estate was willing to sell for £2OOO, in spite of the fact that a new dwelling had beeii erected since the valuation was made and the fences repaired. Mr J. Hine, representing the. Valuation Department, said the valuation was on the property at the death of the owner in the estate -of G. M. Davenport. • This had been agreed on as £4*250. It was not conceivable that the Grown, who still supported its valuation, should he asked that a valuation made on October 9 should be cut la half by a valuation of October 11. Evidence for and against the valuation was then given. Decision was reserved.