LAND DEAL

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 267, 7 August 1929, Page 9

LAND DEAL

> CLAIM AGAINST STATE question in house Oarrent report* that Dr. F. J. Rayner, of Auckland, la taking action against the Government, claiming damages in rasoect to an uncompleted timber land purchase, were alluded to In the House of Representatives yesterday when a question was asked by Mr. W. L. Martin, Labour member for Raglan. Mr Martin’s question, addressed to the Commissioner of State Forests (Hon. W. B Taverner), was whether the attention of Mr. Taverner had been drawn to a newspaper article in which particulars were given of an agreement between Dr. Rayner and Mr. K. S. Williams, for the Commissioner of State I orests, it being stated that the timber rights of certain areas in the Rotorua district had been acquired from the Natives for £5500, and that a speculator wanted to dispose ot them for £lBO,OOO. If the facts were as reported, Mr. Martin asked the Minister whether he would take the earliest opportunity of making a statement to the House on the matter. Mr- Martin further asked whether the Minister could inform the House whether the Dr. Ray" ner mentioned in the article was t e same Dr. Rayner who figured in a previous laud deal when he sold to the Railway Department for £27,000 a property he had purchased a few months previously for £3OOO. . “The subject is one that is at tne present time before the Courts in relation to an action pending against the Government,” replied Mr. Taverner. In the circumstances it is not considered proper to make a statement. Mr W. E. Parry, Labour member for Auckland Central: But is it the same Dr Rayner as was in the previous deal. Mr. Taverner: As far as I am aware it is the same Dr. Rayner. The Prime Minister (Right Hon. bir Joseph Ward) was given permission to supplement Mr. Taverner s reply. . All I want to say is that the case is sub judice and has nothing whatever to do with the present Government, he said. Laughter from the Reform benches greeted the statement.