Parliamentary Affairs.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 29 October 1913, Page 3

Parliamentary Affairs.

The question of the New Lynn leases was revived in the House on Tuesday, when Mr E. Newman presented the report of the Lands Committee, on the acquisition of the fee-simple of certain lands held under renewable leases in Hetana Hamlet, near Auckland. The Committee, after citing evidence and making the fullest possible inquiry into the business, express the opinion that "the State' has received full value for its interest in the land, as proved by the valuation made by the most competent land valuers obtainable, and that the statement made by several newspapers, to the effect that £30,000 worth of land had been parted with for £3000 had no foundation in fact." ' In the discussion which followed the I presentation of |tho report, the Prime I Minister, after explaining the method adopted in calculating the value of tho freehold, quoted a passage from the evidence givon by the Valuer.General to the effect that "in his opinion losses buying land from the Crown, under review, were paying more then for it than it would be worth in an ordinary transaction between private individuals." The inquiry. Mr. Massey added had gone to prove that in parting with these lands the Crown was entering into an arrangement which should be for the-State a very good pioposition.