TO CURB LAND BLACK MARKET

Chronicle (Levin), 15 August 1946, Page 6

TO CURB LAND BLACK MARKET

-Press Association

Government's Plan Under Fire in House

By Telegraph -

WELLINGTON, August 14. This aftemoon in Parliament was rnarked by a spirited discussion on an amendnient to the Servicemen 's Scttieinent and Land Saies Act which was mtroduced, providing that a person wno lias paid a sum above the price auttiorised by fhe Land -Saies Comniittee or Oourt, may recover tliat amount as an ordinary debt. It was described by Opposition speakers as a Bill which would condouc dishonesty but the Prime Minister saiu that the Government had an open amua on the Bill and if a bolter iuethod oi curbing blaclc marketing of piroperties could be put forward, tlie Bill could be anuvuded accordiugly. The Bill expresses in legislative form the existing regulations which enable a purcliaser to recover from a vendor as an ordinary debt without prejudice to his own position as a party to an oifence, any sum paid above the basic land saies price. The Bill states that

where any consideration has been given, paid or transfeired in coiitravention- oi tlie priucipal Act, the amount or value of tlie consideration may be recovereu by or on behalf of tlie person as a debt due to liim by the person who receiveu the consideration. The Bill provides for cancellation of a land agent 's licence wliere the agent is convicted of oh'ences under the priucipal Act. I'art three of tho Act which deais witli the control of saies and leases oi land, is extended to apply to contracts for sale of personal propertv or execution of' works in connection with the sale or leasing of land. The Police are also empowered to obtain information in relation to this section of the main Act. Land saies committees are authoriseci to consent to certain transactions on oehalf of the Tmnd Board. A Land Saies Comniittee may rerer matters to tlie Land Saies Court for directions. Hon. C. F. Skinner, whcn the Bill was introdueed, said he had discussed it anu the regulations whicli preceded it, witn the Returned Services Association, Law Society and Iieal Estate Institute, ali of which liad niade suggestions concerning the measure aml although it was unfortunate that 'sucli a provision liau to be niadc, iione of the orgunisations consulted could suggest any alternativc. The Coniniisisoiier of Police also agreod that soniethinir must be doue.

Alr. W. J. Polson: You are approving dishonesty. Alr. Skinner said the Bill strengthened wliat was already a very good Act. Afr. Polson: Hoes tlie Minister teu tlie House that this Bill which prostitutes justice, condones Ihe breaking ot the law and rewards the lawbreaker, is a good Bill? IV! r. Nash ■ pfotested'-'thh'f' MP."'PoJson was using unparlianiontary terms but Mr. Pols'on rejoined tliat his language was verv parliameiitary indeed compared with much stronger terms he niigiiT liave used. He thougiit that no Britisn government in fhe world had ever brouglit. down a nie'asufe of this kina. It was not a Bill that any Parliament with a sense ,of probitv or digiiitv, would allow to go through and not oue that should be brought down bv a Minister with respect for his own roputation. Alr. Fraser said the Bill gave protcction to servicemen and would not have been introdueed wero it not for the re-

turned servicemen and the danger oi their being exploited at revolver pomt and asked to pav more for their Jiomes tlian the law allowed. M. Polson: Xo oue approves of tliat. Mr. Fraser: Exactlv. That is just. what I wanted to get at. There was a chorus of interjections at this stage and Mr. Fraser said lie could not deal with more than lialf a dozen of the Opposition at onco, anu wlten anotlier voice was heard he adued : '' There 's the fullback coming into it now." Mr. Fraser said ho thought no Member of the House would suggest it was right for returned inen to be held up to ransoin beeause of their desperate neeu for a house. If the Opposition coula suggest altenative means of dealing with the problem thev should do so. Mr. Polson: It is rather lato for that. Mr. Fraser said it was not too Jate. The Bill could be amended or witndravvn. The returned man was in a difficult iiosition and was likely to ugree to an illegal procedure rather ilrr: see his wife and children left iiouu'luns iu the street, although he !ii:nselc vas breaking the law in makiug the extra payment. If a man was held up under duress and obliged to pav over extra money, was he to lie dubbed a criminalf Mr. Fraser agreed that the Bill in etfect meant that a Crown witness woulu be rewarded and that a victini would be invited to tuni King's evidence. Mr. Polson: It goes further tlian that. It gives ininiunity. Mr. Fraser said there was a danger that an uriscrupulous person might otter an extra sum above the legtil price and get the property and tlien tuni King's evidence. Mr. J. T. Watts : And he gets ins nionev back too. Mr. Fraser said the object was not to penalise eitlier party but to prevent ulegal transactions. The Bill could go to the Wtatutes llevision Comniittee or Lands Comniittee to see what improve nients might be effected in it. Mr. T. L. Macdouald: This is an admission tliat black marketing has got the Governnient beaten. Mr. Fraser denied this, saying it was just as reasonable to suggest that burglarv liad proved too much for tlie Governnient. Mr. \Y. A. Bodlcin: Is it not possiiuc to puuish lioth patties wlio are etpmliy guilty? Mr. Fraser: If the House considers the Bill too drastic, the Governnient has an open mimi on tlie matter. It was possiblo tliat in ensting out ono devu

a greuter oue might be created. Alr. Polson said a better remedy would be to make the penalty for an illegal payuieiit so severe that 110 person would dare to enter into suck a transaction. ALr. Fraser said the slep projiosed was tlie last rccourse and it could be criticallv examined by the whole House, including hiniself. Alr. Bodkin: Would tlie Alinister consider just allowing iifty per cent or the money to be recovered. Alr. Skinner: No. The Bill was read a second tiine pro t'orina and reforred to tlie Stalutes Kevision Comniittee.