LAND SOLD TO SERVICEMAN

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26125, 30 May 1950, Page 3

LAND SOLD TO SERVICEMAN

COMPLAINT TO R.S.A. A complaint that the price of a town section obtained by a returned serviceman in a ballot two or three years ago had been increased now that it was being transferred to another returned man was made by the president (Mr H. E. Batchelor) to the executive of the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association last evening. A returned man had drawn a section, the price of which was fixed by the Government at £225. Mr Batchelor said. He had the option of taking the section on lease, and did that. When he decided to dispose of it to another returned man the transfer was completed and then the buyer was told by the Lands and Survey Department that the price was £320. “If that is -what the Government is going to do there is something wrong, because they said they would make more sections available to keep the price level, he said. “We can not help what the private vendor does, but I don t think the Government should set a lead.’’ Mr Batchelor added that the associa.ion would take a “dim view” of any returned serviceman selling to another returned man for a profit. He knew of a case vrtiere a man had sold a section at more than double what he had paid for it. On the suggestion of Mr D. W. Russell it was decided to ask Dominion headquarters to inquire into the case cited by Mr Batchelor and that if it was the policy of the Government to increase the prices in such cases to make a protest.