AUCKLAND CIVIC SQUARE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 18 June 1928, Page 11

AUCKLAND CIVIC SQUARE.

.LEASING OF LOTS,

DENIAL'S MADE 'TO ALLEGATIONS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND. June 18

Cr. W. 11. Murray, a member of the Auckland City 'Council, and Mr. J. OR. Lundon, against whom serious allegations were made in a statement made by. Mr. 'Ruben Jaffa in regard to lease of Civic Square property, have written lengthy letters which are published in the Auckland papers. Or. Murray says: “'The statement that I have at any time suggested to Mr. Jaffe that he contribute to the funds being raised for a council inquiry is 'a malicious lie by Mr. Jaffe, for the altered terms of his lease was, I have ascertained, to enable him to complete a deal which would result in Tiim g-etting total profit o'f £IOO9, ! a year for GO years, or a grand total of £66,000. IMr. Jaffe, with the assistance of my opponents, may make his £66,000, 'but the people of Auckland are entitled to know of it and of them by whose assistance he succeeds. ’ ’

Mr. Lundon, in a letter also published, says: Mr. Jaffe became the socalled lessee of the key lot of the 'Civic Square under circumstances of extremely good fortune to him, and of equal reprehensibility to the city administration.., The Tots b'f the Civic Square were offered on November 2, 1927, for lease upon terms which did not attract the ordinary prudent commercial men. Mr. Jaffe alone had the temerity to sign an agreement on December 22, 1927, under the terms offered. It soon The came apparent Ito the Mayor and 'councillors 'that the terms were unwisely framed, with the result that substantial modifications were made by the City 'Council and the remaining lots were offered to the public accordingly. Mr. Jaffe on M'av 31 last obtained from the 'City Council its confirmation to a modification on the same lines and found himself in the position of being the only permitted candidate for the section which was the key to 'the whole 'commercial siuation. Mr. Jaffe was forthwith able, by a signed option, to trade away the section so obtained with a profit to himself of £IOOO per annum for 66 years.” Mr. Lundon denies that he ever, at any time, asked Mr. Jaffe for any monies for himself, for Cr. Murray or anybody else, or for any fund at all. He asserts that he Mr. Lundon) did not at any time suggest to Mr. Jaffe that the Mayor or town clerk had received any bribe from Mr. Jaffe or anvone else.