THE PURCHASE OF STARK'S PROPERTY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 11267, 16 August 1886, Page 3

THE PURCHASE OF STARK'S PROPERTY.

Thefollowingis an extract from the evidence of MrMitchelson, when examined before the committee to inquire into the Stark purchase, as printed in the Parliamentary paper.— The Chairman : Mr Mitchelson, you have been Minister for Public Works.and know the district. Cm you give the committee any information as to the value of the land at Takapuna Point which was purchased from Mr Stark for defence purposes ?— Yes. Perhaps it would be better for me to give my personal opinion first. Give your own opinion, and state anything you know as to the value of in that locality ?— My own opinion is that the value of the property is, at the outside, about £8000. As far as I f»m able to judge, the whole thing has been a oleveriy oontrived conspiracy to defraud the Government. That is the generally believed opinion iv the Auck* land district;. Unfortnnately, the Go» vernment officers aided as conspirators to come extent, through having allowed themselves to be let into the trap— l mean the Property Tax Valuer and Purchase Coinnnsßionor, Mr Brewer. The ugliest feature I see in the case is that one of the principal conspirators in the transaction, who is partner iv land transactions with Mr Stark, was appointed Keviewer for that particular locality, and, as far as I am able to understand the question, it was through him that the bogus offer was made to Mr Stark. The offer was ma^e through Mr Dacre, the senior partner iv the firm of Cochrane and Son, and who is one of the most reliable men I know. Auckland, 19th June, 1886, My dear Mitchelson, -I have your telegram re Stark's purohase. lam informed that prior to its being thought of for a battery Bite this property was offered for sale for £7000. Actual negotiations were proceeding, and the buyer had offered £5500, when Stark withdrew from treaty, giving no reason. A large plan was drawn out, but cue up into small lots, •with any quantity of road trontages. On seeing this plan I told Stark he would never .sell it iv th*t way ; nor would he. Subsequently we had written instructions to make Stark au offer—l think £15,000, but am not sure of exsct amount, as I write this at home. This offer Stark declined. Seaman then appears to have seen Stark re property tax value. Stark mentions this offer, and Seaman values the property accordingly, Stark not objecting. This action of Seaman's did the bUBineBS, as the Government could not give leas than their own valuation ; but Seaman would just as soon put it down at £20,000, his valuations being excessive. • But there is no doubt that the Government had no need to purohase all the property. When ■we made Stark tbe offer I did not think the tend was worth it, but we had on several occasions acted in making pnrohases for the same person. I do not think that Stark could have got more than half ihe price paid by the Government from outside buyers here. The bouse was a, very poor conoern. Stark himself told me they could not keep the rain out. You must Dear in waind, too, that the main road has been diverted. — I have, &c, James Dacre.