NEW GUINEA.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18674, 24 April 1926, Page 15

NEW GUINEA.

SALE OF PROPERTIES. SATISFACTORY TENDERS. (BT CABLE —PI! £63 ASSOCIATION —COrYfcIGHT.) (AUSTEAUAX A3TO S.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION 1 .) SYDNEY, April 23. Referring to the tenders received for the first group of expropriated properties in New Guinea, Mr Stanley Bruce said tliat three tenders were received for the whole of the properties and 322 for individual ones. These tenders came from 66 persons or companies, of whom 54 were Australian soldiers. As the tenders for a number of individual properties were satisfactory, and as it appeared that the best interests of the territory would be served by the establishment of many plantation owners, Cabinet had decided to reject all three tenders submitted for the properties as a whole. Individual tenders, numbering about 20, will be accepted where the tender equals or exceeds the official valuation. Other tenderers who approximate to the valuation will be negotiated with. In all, 46 plantations were offered, and for 43 of theso tenders were . received. The purchase money for the 20 plantations likely to be sold amounts to £201,5i0.

Eighty-seven trading stations were alsc offered, and tenders are to be accepted for 47 of them.