Loan inquiry to start on September 9

Press, 30 August 1980, Page 22

Loan inquiry to start on September 9

PA Wellington The Commission- of Inquiry into the Fitzgerald land-loan affair will begin formal hearings in Wellington on September 9 ; according to a -spokesman for the Department of Internal Affairs. The hearing would be open to the public and the news media, he said. The threeman Commission would hold a preliminary meeting on September 2 for procedural purposes. The preliminary hearing and the first week of the formal hearing would be held in the Chamber of Commerce .boardroom.' in Commerce House, Wakefield Street. After that other suitable rooms for tlie hearing would have to be.found although the headquarters for the Commission would remain - in Commerce House. The commission, the membership of which was announced by the Prime Minister, Mr Muldoon, on/ ■August 25, will be chaired by Dr B. D. Inglis. The other members are Air Vice-Marshal Sir Richard Bolt and Mr J. J. Loftus.

Their reporting date to Parliament .is November 14. The Commission’s terms of reference are: , 1. Whether there was any impropriety on. the part of any person in relation to the reference on any occasion of the loan application to the Marginal Lands Board for consideration. 2. Whether there was any impropriety on the part of any person in relation to the circumstances in which, or the basis on which, the application was considered on anv occasion. 3. In respect of the approval of the application by the board, whether there was an error of jurisdiction or otherwise and whether there was any impropriety by way of departure. from previously accepted criteria for granting loans or from what have been previously accepted as proper conditions of loans or otherwise. 4. Whether any amendment to the legislation governing the functions, procedures, and practices of the Board is necessary or expedient.