MORTGAGE RELIEF

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23083, 7 July 1938, Page 14

MORTGAGE RELIEF

COMMISSIONS' WORK

COMPLETION IN NOVEMBER THE MINISTER'S HOPE [by TELECRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON. Wednesday . Tho work of all the mortgage commissions in New Zealand should bo completed by tho end of November, according to a prediction made by the Attorney-General, tho Hon. H. G. It. Mason, during the Address-in-Reply debate in tho Houso of Representatives to-day. The Minister said tho total number of applications for relief filed had been 34,474, and it would be realised that tho work must necessarily be of a deliberate nature because of tho detailed consideration that had to bo given to cases. It was certainly not tho type of activity in which mass production methods could bo used. A month ago consideration still had to bo given to 6285 farm mortgages and 50.31 others, but ho expected that they would bo disposed of with much greater rapidity than in tho past, and that there would be little or nothing left by tho end of November.

"In many cases, a great deal of preliminary work had to be done by Government departments, which constitute a big section of the mortgagees," Mr. Mason said. "They wished to prepare their cases so that there might bo uniformity of approach and method. All that work has been dono now, so that the commissions will bo able to go ahead with less delay than before."

Tho Dunedin City Commission had finished its work a long timo ago, the Minister added, and the Wellington City Commission was now finished. Tho Christchurch and Auckland Commissions still had to complete their cases, but good progress was being made in tho farm districts, so that the end of the work should soon be in sight. Mr. H. G. Dickie (Opposition — Patea): Will that be tho end, or is there a possibility of tho question being reopened later?

"The esseneo of the work is that this should be the finish," tho Minister replied. In conclusion, Mr. Mason expressed his appreciation of the work of tho commissions and the Court of Review, and of tho Government officers concerned.