BROADWAY LEASES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 69, 16 March 1912, Page 5

BROADWAY LEASES.

(To the Editor “Stratford Post.”) ■ Sir,—Permit me to correct a statement made by your reporter in connection with the above; and as the •same error occurs in b' the New, Plymouth '‘‘Daily News”'of even date, ii i looks as f if there was a desire.on, the ' part ! of 'someont* to' suppress the,truth ' any rate, it is a .suspicious coincidence that both reports are “con■trai'y to •fact.’*'' Your report states: “Mrs. Brown was not a bidder for the lease of the shop she now occupies.” This is incorrect. Mrs. Brown made an offer at the upset rental, and the auctioneer (Mr. T. Lamason) Dutch-auctioned the' lease of the premises':by asking “Any offers of £lO , a ,;year ; advapeeif” None. “Any offers of £5 a year advance?” Then, in a final effort to earn the commission: “Any offers of 10s a year advance?” This was bid by Mr. Pivac, and promptly knocked clown to that gen l tlonian at an advance of rather less than 2Sd a week! It’s a question if Dutch auctioning so important a property in this manner is legal or not ; but, of course, the Borough Solicitor should be able to decide. For this paltry 2]d the Council ousts the present tenant, who will receive no recompense for the additions and alterations she has. made to the premises. Had these not been done by her, the shop and its valuation would have been exactly. the same as that of Mr. Watson’s—namely, £B4' 10s a year; but, owing to the improvements made at her expense, an increase of £59 a year, or a total sum of £590 for the term of the lease is added to the Borough's revenue. You will agree that under the circumstances it’s pretty hard lines for her. Again, in the matter of upset rentals, the Borough Council all through acted in a most tyrannical and arbitrary manner to the tenants, and no appeal could be made to their decision. It was final. Trusting you will make those facts known, as there is evidently a desire to keep them from the public, who, I am sure, would rather do without that blessed roller, than sweat it out of their, s tenants; and thanking you in anticipation.—l am, etc TUPPENCE HA’PENNY. Stratford, March 14, 1912. [lf Mrs. Brown made a bid for the lease of the premises she now occupies, the auctioneer was not aware of this fact. We have his authority for stating that there was only one bidder Mr. Pivac—and that the lease was secured by him at the upset rental.— , Ed. “Stratford Post.”]