Something That Slipped Mr. Fraser's Memory

Chronicle (Levin), 9 February 1949, Page 5

Something That Slipped Mr. Fraser's Memory

■*> • — — Press .Asstociation) 3

(Per

WEDDINGTQN, F6b. 8. . The qtieStidn df paid fqr the London blbck boug&t as ihe si^e for the fiiture New Zealand House, was raised by Mr. 6. M. Bovrdeii, M.P, for Earuri, in a statem6rit today. He Said the Priitie Minister was reported in the press as having said on his recent return from overseas, that he could not recali the exact amount paici for the huildifig. ''If London press reports are correet," Mr, Bowden said, "I cOiild refresh the Prime Minister 's rnemor#-. With characteristic senSationdlism the Daily Nerald, under date oi January 11, displays the heading '£450,000 for Parade of Dandies' and goes on to say 'ohe o'f London 's golden aOreS ehahged Hahds yesterday whexi the New Zealand Government bought for £450,600, the unexpired Grown lease on the Garlton Hotel, His Majesty's Theatre, the Royal Opera Arcade and the reihaiMer &f the bioek of Haymarket.' As it is tKe taxpayers' ihohey which is being spent, perhaps the Prime Minister would like to say whether the figure huOted is correet Or was the price mueh Higher than that. The same paper, by the way, mentions that the' reniainirig terms of the leases vary in lgngths, that Of the hotei having 21 years to run. Information on that score also vfrotila he o'f ihtefest to the people here," Sdid Mr. Bowden.