PROPERTY SALES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25672, 21 October 1944, Page 8

PROPERTY SALES

28,000 APPLICATIONS

REDUCTIONS AVERAGE £l7 (F.OJ’.R.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 20. A statement that 28,000 applications under the Land Sales Act had gone through the court and the committees established under the legislation and that the average reduction had been £l7 9s 8d was made by the Minister of Lands, Mr C. F. Skinner, when the Lands and Survey Department’s estimates were considered by the House of Representatives to-day. The Minister said that the average cost to the State in respect of the applications was £2 18s 3d, his figure taking into •account all the costs under the Act. When an Opposition member interjected that the average reduction seemed to be very little and hardly worth the legislation, the Minister replied that when the individual reductions were considered the Act was of great value. It was protecting the geninue buyers of home and farm properties from exploitation, “Black" Transactions Mr F. Langstone (Govt., Waimarino) urged that action be taken to deal with “black” money being paid for properties in defiance of the letter and spirit of the legislation. There were numerous reports of such transactions. Mr W. A. Bodkin (Oppn., Central Otago) asked that protection be given to the soldiers of the last war whose properties the State desired to acquire for the settlement of soldiers of the present war. There were cases of veterans of the last war who had been farming' for years and wished to sell their holdings and buy smaller farms. His information was that they were finding great difficulty in buying smaller farms because of the operation of . the Land Sales Act.

The Minister replied that such veterans were guaranteed an alternative property if they were prepared to sell their present farms to men from this war.

Mr Bodkin: That is not generally known. It must be a recent decision. It is not right that veterans of the last war should be brushed aside to provide farms for returned men of this war. There would be land available for all the returned men if the Government had a vigorous land policy. Instructions to Committees

The Minister said he had made statements on various . occasions defining the position under clause 51 of the Act. The Land Sales Committees were instructed to see that no undue hardship was imposed on farmer soldiers of the last war. Instructions had also been given as to the types of individual who should not be interfered with, and he thought the Act was working out fairly. The Minister added that he knew of no'serviceman of the last war who had been prevented fr6m_ buying another farm when his existing property was acquired for settling men of this war. Dozens of cases had already gone through.