i6 



/. E. Lc Rossignol and W . D. Stewart 



But the graduated tax was originally designed to break up the 

 large estates, and when this work is accomplished the revenue 

 which it now yields will have to be raised in some other way. 



An official return presented to the House during the session of 

 1906 showed that there were 63 rural estates with an unimproved 

 value of £50,000 and upward, 14 with an unimproved value of 

 £ 1 00,000 and upward, one estate of 218,866 acres valued at £214,- 

 978, and one of 101,221 acres valued at £276,118. The capital 

 value of these great estates was £296,990 and £335.405. During 

 the session of 1906 the government brought in a bill to limit the 

 holdings in rural land of any individual or company to an unim- 

 proved value of £50,000. The bill met with strong opposition 

 and was dropped, and in the session of 1907 the act which has 

 been described was passed, which, although condemned by some 

 as a socialistic measure, has the merit of being logical and prac- 

 ticable, which could hardly be said of the previous plan. A re- 

 turn laid before the Council by the Valuation Department during 

 the session of 1907 shows that there are no longer any estates in 

 New Zealand having an unimproved value of £200,000 or over. 1 



The taxation of unimproved values naturally brought about a 

 radical change in the methods of valuing property, but before 

 the year 1906 there was no uniformity in this matter. The Land 

 and Income Tax Department periodically employed a small army 

 of temporary valuers, and every local authority had its own 

 method of making up its roll for the levying of rates. But on 

 October 17, 1896, the Government Valuation of Land Act was 

 passed (since amended several times), for the purpose of secur- 

 ing uniformity in valuation, particularly in the administration of 

 the land tax and the rating on unimproved values. 2 



The Act provides for the appointment of a valuer-general and 

 district valuers to hold office during pleasure. The district val- 

 uers reside in their districts, soon become expert in their work, 

 and generally command the confidence of the people. There is 

 little or no corruption or bribery. At first the valuation was 



Return to an Order of the Legislative Council, dated July 26, 1907, no. 8. 

 -Year-book, 1908, p. 594. 



264 



