Bishop Denies Charge Of Land Speculation

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30900, 5 November 1965, Page 10

Bishop Denies Charge Of Land Speculation

“The Church Property Trustees, who are in charge of church land, do not and cannot indulge in land specu- : lation: they are bound by trust law,” says the Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren), commenting on a letter to the editor of “The Press” from “Anglican.” The correspondent wrote: “The ‘Limes’ site was sold to the Mayor, councillors, and citizens of Christchurch for just 100 per cent above what the Diocesan Council paid for it—according to a high civic official. And is Bishop Warren arrare, that in extending the premises of St. Margaret’s College to give Christian education to larger numbers of daughters of New Zealand’s more monied families, the home of a crippled woman and the homes of four other ratepayers, are being deprived of north sunlight and consequently devalued? Does he not think that the Church’s land speculations seem precariously like offering unto God the things that are Caesar’s?”

“If ‘Anglican’ had cared to consult his bishop or the trust manager of the Church Property Trustees, he could have been told in private what must now be told in public, hat the allegations are not in conformity with fact, are highly misleading, and show singular lack of appreciation of the Mayor and councillors of the city and less faith in

the integrity of hjs bishop." says Bishop Warren. “Reference to the Department of Statistics reveals that between 1947 and 1963, the dates of purchase and sale of the ‘Limes’ property, the purchasing power of the pound decreased by about 100 per cent, which means that to buy the same goods in 1963 would take approximately twice the number of pounds as would have been required in 1947. Land Values _ “Reference to the Valuation Department reveals that properties in the centre of the city approximately doubled in value expressed in pounds during that period. The Church bought the *Limes’ site to meet the expanding needs of its administration for an expanding population; when it vacated in favour of the city it had to face building costs and land values approximately double those in 1947. What it received was a just price.

“When St. Margaret’s purchased its property it was zoned for development for educational purposes. No building permit is granted by the City Council and other appropriate authorities unless the plans conform to regulations which the authorities have judged to be reasonable for all parties. “If ‘Anglican’ requires any further information abcut St. Margaret’s he is invited to get in touch personally with the bursar of the college.”