CROWN LAW OFFICERS' OPINION CONTRADICTED.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13644, 8 February 1913, Page 4

CROWN LAW OFFICERS' OPINION CONTRADICTED.

QUALIFIED AUTHORITIES IN

OPPOSITION

Wellington, Feb. 7

The "Now Zealand Times", to-day re. for red the Crown low officers' report on the Southland lease-in-perpetuity question to throe professional men of high standing, and all wore unanimously of the opinion "fcjiat _Mr. Brighton is entit'ed to the fee simple, of the land com. prised in his lease, including the coal in the property. Th^ "Times" also publishes the signed opinion of Mr. T. F. Martin, solicitor to the Municipal Association, find tho author of "Land Laws of Now Zealand" which concludes thus: "Before the passing of the Act of 1912 the owner of a lease-in-perpetuity under tlie. Act of 1892 was. entitled to purchase tho foe simple, including cool, but he was required to pay the, value of the coal. Under the AciTof 1912 the right to purchase the-fee-simp!©-is-granted'in just the same- words- as were used in section 20 of the Act of 1907>but instead of a prico whi«h includes the 'value of coal he-hag only to pay the amount upon which his rent was computed—in this case £47, plus tho one per cent per annum. and the interest thereon."