656
Q-And that was in 1887 ?
A-Yes.
Q-When did you commence to value that property ?
A-I commenced to value it in September, 1886.
Q—That was the first time it was valued at all ?
A-I do not know.
Q-How did you come to value it at $6,600 ?
A I do not know; that is my valuation. I commenced the valuation in September, 1886, and the valuation of the Colony took about 8 months.
Q-How did you arrive at the valuation of $6,600 ?
A-1, first of all, under the Municipal Rating Ordinance which was the Rating Ordinance then in force, sent out the Form A (in the Schedule to such Ordinance) to the owner of every tenement in the Colony, with the request that they would fill it in with the necessary particulars and return it; and Mr. Howard in due course had one of these forms sent to him. [Witness here explains the mode of filling up Form A.]
Q-In 1888 the Rating Ordinance came into force?
A-It came into force in 1888; there was previously one in 1875.
Q-And under that you rated the property in question at $6,600 ?
A-I believe that is so.
Q-Now, you say that is the rateable valne during all the time the Claimanst were in it ?
A-As to that, I cannot say.
Q-Do you consider that it was the one value all the time ?
A-I cannot say.
Q-I want to know what was the value of this property during those years?
A-Are you speaking of the marketable value during those times?
Q-Referring to Assessments. You say in your report, Mr. Hooper, that the value of the property was $10,800?
A---Yes.
Q-That is to say, that is the amount a tenant would give if the landlord paid the Crown Rent, paid Insurance and kept the Godowns in repair?
A-Yes, provided the tenant had no beneficial interest in the property. I say that is a fair rent.
Q-You know this Rating Ordinance ?
A—I do.
Q-You know what is the rateable value ?
A-A man would pay $10,800 per year.
Q-Then the rateable value in 1895 was $10,800? Had you been Assessor in 1895, is that the amount at which you would have rated this property ?
A-If I had been Assessor, I would have rated this property at $10,800.