SALES TO SERVICEMEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26692, 11 February 1948, Page 8

SALES TO SERVICEMEN

LAND AGENTS PENALISED RESTRICTIVE LEGISLATION P.A. WELLINGTON, Feb. 10. “The poor co-operation land agents have received from the Rehabilitation Department in the past has made them very chary of dealing with ex-service-men,” said the president of the Wellington branch of the Real Estate Institute, Mr O. H. Benge, to-day. “ We have tried to co-operate in accommodating ex-servicemen and to supply them with information,” said Mr Benge. “ That information would go into the Rehabilitation Department and then we would hear no more—it would be lost there. It has broken our hearts. In many ways the requirements and conditions of the Rehabilitation loan have restricted the sale of houses and properties.” Mr Benge said he appreciated the Minister's difficulties, but he thought the problem had been approached in the wrong manner. “The Servicemen's Settlement and Land Sales Act is deliberately framed to defeat land agents and to deprive them of a living,” said Mr Benge. “ Section 45 of the Act says that if, through no fault of the agent, owner or buyer, but the fault of a solicitor, the papers are not filed within 30 days, the agent shall not be entitled to commission or any other remuneration whatever. The resale of a property that has already been dealt with by the court at a price determined is still subject to a conditional clause and the necessary acceptance of the court in all things, notwithstanding the fact that the price has already been determined, and the only condition that should be necessary is the eligibility of the purchaser to acquire such property. By having this conditional clause the contract cannot be enforced until after the sealing of the order. The principle of the contract is lost in artificiality.”