Arbitration

(1) Any owner of land who is not satisfied that the valuation reflects the true unimproved value of the land, may object to the valuation, such objection to reach the Commissioner of Land Tax within three months of issue of notice under section 33, in a written statement outlining the reasons and the basis of his objections and require the Commissioner of Land Tax to consider the matter and the Commissioner of Land Tax shall make inquiries relating thereto as he thinks fit and may decide that the valuation should be altered to the extent claimed in the objection or to such extent as may be agreed with the objector or may decline to make any amendment in the valuation in which case he shall submit the matter to a Judge in Chambers and the decision of the Judge shall be final and binding on the parties and not subject to appeal to any court of law or other tribunal. The matter shall be decided as if it were an appeal from the judgment of an inferior court. (2) (a) Without prejudice to the owner’s right to object to the valuation, the owner shall, prior to the hearing of any objection, pay the tax in accordance with the notice served under (b) Where the valuation is altered as a result of an objection, an amendment notice under section 33 shall be served by the Commissioner and due adjustments shall be made and the amount paid in excess shall be refunded and the amount short paid shall be recoverable as arrears. 11 (3) In any hearing of an objection to the valuation, the onus shall be on the landowner to show that the valuation is excessive, Provided, however, that the Commissioner of Land Tax may, if he considers necessary, grant interim reduction of tax on a preliminary hearing without prejudice to the final determination of the assessment and tax due thereon.