PRIME MINISTER'S LAND

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 18, 21 January 1921, Page 7

PRIME MINISTER'S LAND

A MISLEADING PARAGRAPH.

It was reported at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board (Mr. E. C. Banks presiding) that the Prime Minister would prefer not to sell his land at Mangere East. The board desired the property foi; the purpose of a, school site. When Mr. Massey's position was announced Mr. A. Burns said: "Take it under the Public Works Act." Mr. E. C. Purdie said the board could make an offer, and if he still adhered to his position, then-they could take it as suggested. This suggestion was approved unanimously.

The above paragraph is from an Auckland, paper and in itself is somewhat misleading. The position is explained in tha following letter sent to the boaid by the- Prime Minister on 18th December; "I desire to acknowledge the receipt of your two ' letters of tho 11th and 16th instant' respectively,, asking whether I would be prepared to- sell to tho board for school site- purposes part of my property at Mangere East. Whilst I am Jesiroua"of facilitating in any way I am able the carrying out of the board's proposal to acquire a site for school purposes at Mangere East, I. would prefer, so long as I remain Prime Minister, not to sn.ll any land which would be used for State purposes. I have stood out of such transactions right throughout tho X'eriod of my Premiership, and us I have already had" one very unpleasant experience of this kind, I am particularly anxious to avoid repetition. Trusting that you may without much difficulty bo isuoccMt'uJ in selecting another suitable sit* for the school, I remain, etc."