CORRESPONDENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2595, 1 September 1909, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

{Correspondence on public matters is ■welcomed at all times, but it must bt\ ■distinctly understood that this journal is in np .viy (associated with the opin-. .ions of its* correspondents. All letters must bo legibly written and inscribed -undone. side of the paper only, other- - wjse they will not be published. *An < iA 'ierisk at the foot of a letter indicates l :-'t some portion has been excised.] * VALUATIONS [To The Editor.} Sir, —The thanks of the public are t due to you for your able leader re Peter Wright’s case. There is one point on which I do not agree with you when you . say “We blame, not the individual valuer, but the Government, whose policy he is expected to carry out.” Now, .sir, I think the whole blame is to be attributed to the valuer, who does not know hie business. In this case he tells Wfight lie must destroy bis timber by burning it when he will not be taxed, thus offering a premium to a man to destroy what may be a valuable asset isomo day. The valuer even goes so far as to suggest to the settlor that he should have borrowed the money to , destroy this timber. We settlers should thank Mr. Wright for taking the. case into Court and getting justice done to him by the assessors. The present day ■ Government valuers seem to .think that they have nothing to do only to go round Jibe a roaring lion seeking whom they may devour. If the farmers who consider they are valued too high will not take their cases, to the Court, but take their gruel lying down, as many of them do, I say it serves them right. What a pity we.could not compel some of these Government valuers to put irt a few years in the back blocks pioneer-” ing in the hush and mud. I venture to sav it would alter their opinions re values.—-I am, etc., . ■ “A SETTLER.” ;