The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 1908. COMPULSORY TAKING OF LAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2151, 28 March 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 1908. COMPULSORY TAKING OF LAND.

It may ibo well to remind landowners that the now provisions as to the taking of land by the Government under the Land for Settlements Act como into forco after the 31-st-inst. When any land is taken compulsorily in .pursuance of a requisition gazetted after that date, compensation to be paid to the owner is to be fixed in the manner prescribed by Section SI of the Land Laws Amendment Act. The compensation is to be separately assessed in respect of the unimproved value of tho land to bo so taken, and in respect of tho improvements thereon. The unimproved value of the land is to bo deemed to be the amount at which it is assessed in the district- valuation roll in force under tho Government Valuation of Land Act, 1896, “at the time when the requisition for tho taking of land is gazetted.” In respect to this clause tlio Christchurch “Press” draws attention to .an important point, which landowners would do well to note. It is generally understood that new Government valuations are now in -progress, and- it is expected that in most cases these will show an increase. The point is thatGovernment may gazette a requisition in April next for the purchase of land, and that-, as the unimproved valim is to be taken at the amount in the Government valuation roll in forco at tho time of the .gazetting, while the new valuaions are not expected to bo out until May, there is a month at least during which it would bo in tho power of Government to take land at prices which would be grossly inequitable to the owners, even allowing for tho -percentage which, under tho Act, is- to bo added to the -amount of the Go-vernment-valuation for land purchase purposes. The owner, however, apparently has tho power to protect himself under -Section 7 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, b,v giving notice during the present month to tho Valuer-General that ho requires tho valuation, so far as it relates to the unimproved valuo of the land, increased to an amount stated in his Notice. Tho Act provides that this Increased valuation shall, for the pur.poso of the purchase of laud for settlements as well as for tho purpose of Land Tax assessment, bo deemed to bo substituted for -the valuations contained in tlio district valuation roll, and shall, until tho next revision of tho last-mentioned roll have, for the purposes quoted, the same effect' as if made by tho Valuer-General, in accordance with the provisions of the Government Valuation of Land Act, 1896, and inserted in the district valuation roll accordingly. Every notice requiring an increase of valuation must be given to the Valuer-General either in the month of March in any year, or within ono .month after the date of tlio advertisement published by the Valuer-General, notifying tho time during which, when a- roll lias been revised, the objections may bo lodged against tho valuations. In other words, tlio owner may protect himself against having his land taken at a low valuation if lie is willing to increase t-lie amount on which lie is to pay taxes. No -doubt some owners, bound to their homes -by ties of sentiment, will allow themselves to bo taxed beyond the fair value of the property. That they should be reduced to this position is only part of the injustice which has been heaped ltpou them by tho present Government.