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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Auckland Provincial District]

Advances to Settlers' Department

Advances to Settlers' Department.

The Government Valuation Of Land And Advances To Settlers Departments (William Duncan, supervising valuer), Auckland District Office, Strand Arcade, Queen Street. The Auckland office of the Advances to Settlers Department was established in 1894, and the Land Valuations branch two years later. Under the latter department the office undertakes all the valuations for local bodies, 180 of which were, in 1900, using the rolls for rating purposes. There were formerly 207 local rolls in force, and as many as thirty clerks were employed from time to time. The departmental staff makes all valuations for the public service, including the Post Office, Government Insurance, Public Trust, Advances to Settlers, Land Tax and Stamp Offices, and for the Commissioners of Public Debt Sinking Fund, as well as for the guidance of the Government when land is required under the Land for Settlements Act, and the Public Works Act of 1894. In connection with the Advances to Settlers Department, the loans applied for in the Auckland district, up to the 31st of March, 1900, numbered 2380, for sums authoring to £679,938, of which 1607 were authorised for £431,575. Since March, 1900, there has been no falling off in the volume of business, and the institution has evidently come to stay. The total sum advanced by the department in the colony up to that date was £2,633,440. From the report submitted to Parliament in 1900 it appeared that the indebtedness of the Department to the Consolidated Fund had been cleared off during the preceding year, and the office had sufficient funds available to meet, unaided, its liabilities in respect of interest, and so far no losses had been made.

Mr. William Duncan, J.P., Supervising Valuer and Chief Valuer in the Auckland District under the Government Land Valuation and Advances to Settlers Departments, was born in Skene, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in 1853. He received his early education at the Aberdeen Grammar School, and came to Auckland with his parents in 1864 by the ship “Gladiator.” For some years he lived with his parents at Raglan, where his father took up some land. Later on he went to Canterbury, where he received further education at the Canterbury College. He was for some time a master builder in Christchurch.
Hanna, photo.Mr. W. Duncan.

Hanna, photo.
Mr. W. Duncan.

For several years afterwards he resided on the Newlands estate, Ruapuke, Raglan, where he owns 1200 acres, mostly improved. During his residence in the country, he took an page 181 active part in local affairs, and was chairman of Raglan County Council for some years, as well as chairman of Karioi Road Board and Ruapuke school committee. Having a fair knowledge of the Maori language, Mr. Duncan acted for the Government in 1876 in connection with native difficulties at Kawhia. He was subsequently overseer for some public works in Raglan County, under the resident engineer, and afterwards became secretary of the New Zealand Farmers' Association in Auckland. In 1890 he was appointed inspecting assessor under the Property Tax Act, and when the Advances to Settlers Act came into force, he was selected from many applicants as chief valuer, and subsequently became supervising valuer under the Government Valuation of Land Act. Before entering the Government service, Mr. Duncan took a keen interest in politics, and being a ready and fluent speaker, he was frequently before the public, and was well known; but although he was several times encouraged to contest a seat for the House of Representatives, he steadily declined. Mr. Duncan was married, in 1879, to the oldest daughter of Captain Swann, of Aotea, brother-in-law to the late Captain Fairchild, but has no family.