A STRATFORD DEAL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8366, 28 February 1913, Page 6

A STRATFORD DEAL

Ifc has been stated that the Government has purchased, or arranged to purchase, a section of land at 3£ltham for £I2OO which is valued for rating purposes at £3OO, and that the vendor is a whole-hearted supporter of the Massey Government. The Prime Minister, when invited to make some observations on the matter, said: u I knew nothing <sf it until 1 saw it in print, and I had some difficulty in finding what it referred to. I find that the .Railway Department at Stratford, owing to the increase in business, had been very much hampered tor room, and it was found to be absolutely necessary to enlarge the station yard.. With that object negotiations were entered into with a nrm ot sawmiiiers xor a piece of land winch they occupied as a timber yard. The result of the negotiations was that arrangements nave been made to purchase tn© piece of laud (with compensation tor loss ot business) tor £mK). I understand that it is a perfectly genuine business transaction. My own opinion is/that it was the only piece ot land suitable for the purpose. The . Railway department thought it was more satisiao tory to enter into a private arrangement, as in all probability the cost would have been greater it the land had been acquired under the compulsory section of the .Public Works Act. Now, the facts may be exactly as Mr Massey has said. Possibly this was a perfectly genuine business transaction.” Possibly the section in question was the best available, or the only one available, for the railway requirements. Very likely the land was urgently needed and could be acquired under no more favourable terms. But if the purchase price is times in^ excess of the borough and .if the gentleman who is selling is, at stated, a “ whole-hearted supporter” of the Government, the circumstances are unfortunate in view of the claims of the self-styled Reformers to a tremendously exalted standard of purity.