[PRESS ASSOCIATION.] LAND AGENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 97, 24 April 1912, Page 3

[PRESS ASSOCIATION.] LAND AGENTS.

* DEPUTATION TO THE PEJMB MINISTER. *

HAMILTON, 25rd April.' !A. deputation of land agents waited on 'the Prune Minister to-day, urging the necessity for legislation for the registration of land agenis. They asked that Mr. Witt/B Bill be brought in. as a Government measure. The Prime Minister asked the view of the deputation as to an agent selling land at £50 or £60 an acre, and accepting a deposit of a few pounds only. Did they not think that by such transactions values were being unduly forced ap?, The deputation, replied' that this was outside the province of the agent, and rested solely witli tlie vendor, who- stated Us terms. Mr. Mackenzie then asked if such a state of affairs ought not to be corrected. It was considered by the deputation that reform in this respect was perhaps desirable. The Prime Minister said that not only did the Government want the status of those dealing in land raisedj but desired to protect the public from the artificial values which were raLed by these small deposits. He could 'not promise to put : anything on the Statute Book this year, but promised to go into Mr. Witty's "*5iU and see if anything could be done in- the direction, indicated. He quite approved of the status of those engaged in the sale of lwid being fixed and guaranteed. Replying to a question by Mr- Mackenzie as to what qualification a. man had to cany in order to be registered, vhe deputation replied that it wasi proposed to leave that to the local authority.,