CITY LEASES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2974, 11 January 1917, Page 6

CITY LEASES

: I 5 '■' mm commission set up SCOPE OF INQUIRY A Jfoy.i] Commission has \>con appointed to investigate Wellington city ■ leaseholds. Tho Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Itussell), in making the announcement yesterday, said that tho Commission would consist of His Honour Mr. Justice HosIcing (chairman), Mr. C. F. Thomas (formerly manager of tho Bank of New Zealand, Ciiristchurch, and now chief executive officer of the property department of the New Zealand Insurance Company at Auckland), and Mr. William Milne, Oamaru (formerly director of the Bank of Now Zealand), for the purpose of inquiring into and reporting on the leasing iwwers conferred on borough councils by the Municipal Corporations Act, and, in particular, as to tbo operation of Section 137 of tho Municipal Corporations Act in respect of the leases granted by the Wellington City Council. The Commission is to inquire into and report on the following matters: — (1) Is tho system of valuation preeeribod by Section 137 of tho Municipal Corporations Act satisfactory in its application to (a) leases that have heretofore or mav. be hereafter arauted by any borough council? (b) Leases that have been granted or may be hereafter granted by the Wellington City Council? (2) If the said svsteni "of valuation is not satisfactory, what alteration should be made therein? (3) Should the said alterations, if any, be mado applicable (a) generally with respect to leases that have been heretofore or may be hereafter granted by borough councils? or (b) with respect only to leases that may ho, hereafter granted by borough councils? or (c) with respect only to leases that have heretofore or may b'a granted by the Wellington City_ Council? (4) Are the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1908, relating in the leasing powers of borough councils satisfactory and in the best interests of tho leases of the corporations concoriT>d? (5) If any, what alterations should ho lnntln in tho said provisions? Tho Commission is made returnable not later than March 1.