ONEKAKA CLAIMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 August 1939, Page 4

ONEKAKA CLAIMS

EXPLANATION BY MINISTER fPEB PBESB ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, August 28. The Iron and Steel Industry Act provides that, in respect to the resuming of ore licenses, compensation shall be paid if it is established that the licenses were not forfeitable, and that losses have been sustained as the result of the Government’s action in resuming' the leases. The above statement was made by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr. Sullivan, to-night, in reply to the telegram from Nelson regarding claims for compensation for leases at Onekaka. Mr. Sullivan continued that there was an alternative provision which provided that an amicable settlement could be arranged between the Minister and the parties concerned. Negotiations with a view to such a. settlement had been taking place for some time. The lodging of claims in the Compensation Court in Nelson, he said was simply a formality, by which the claimants retained their rights to negotiate.

No compensation claims, added the Minister, could be heard until the question had been settled in the Warden’s Court as to whether the leases were subject to forfeiture, and would, in fact, have been forfeited. The claims referred to had been lodged for some time to comply with the provisions of the compensation law, and as a precautionary measure on the part of the claimants.