THE WELLINGTON LEASES

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9172, 12 October 1915, Page 7

THE WELLINGTON LEASES

VALUATION POSTPONED. A new clause in tho ‘'Washing-up Dill, dealing with the Wellington leases, was brought down by Governor’s Message. Tho clause postponed the date of the valuation in respect of the leases dealt with in the bill to Several members expressed satisfaction that ’ the ■ Government proposed to postpone the date of valuation, which was a means of getting over the ditbculty which had occurred. It was generally stated thfrt a Stipendiary Magistrate was not necessarily the best judge of questions involving intricate questions or land values. . . . , _ , ’‘ Mr H.' G. EU (Christchurch South) advised the House to.stick to the original bill. There could be, no more competent tribunal than the Stipendiary Magistrate. ~,. • The Hon. A. L.‘ Hcrdman (AttorneyGeneral) said that there was no desire deliberately to' set aside legislation, _ but he thought that there wore cases where legislation had been adopted by mistake; (Hear, hear.) It. was absurd that a question of. such importance bo settled in the dying hour of a fiteslon entirely oh the grounds of Wellington leases. It was wise to let the matter stand over until a committee of the House or the Minister for Internal Affairs could look fully into the _matter. The cases that might come • before the Judge of the Supreme Court-should tli£v be appointed to deal with the niat> bo so, numerous iliat- tbeir time might he wasted. The new clause was agreed to, and the bill was put through all its stages.