MRS. PETERS AND HER SECTION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 303, 16 September 1920, Page 8

MRS. PETERS AND HER SECTION

A PALMERSTON NORTH AFFAIR

£13,000 FOR TWO ACRES

The petition of Mrs. Catherine Peters, of Pahneraton North, that clause 50 of last year's "Washing-TJp" Bill should be repealed was reported to the House of Representatives uy a committeo yesterday without any recommendation. Mrs. Peters owns a section of land, which tho Manawatu A. and P. Association has been trying for very many years to buy. The Government values the land at JM, the association offers .£IOOO, and Mrs. Peters asks ,£13.000. The showgrounds at Palmerston North havo been extended, until they surround this section, and the clause mentioned in the petition authorised tho compulsory purchase of tho land W the Government on behalf of the association.

Dr. A. K. Newman (Wellington East) said tho A. and P. Association had offered ,24)0, since increased to JJIOOO,- for the land. Mrs. Peters had asked for .£13.000. Her price was too high, but the offer was too little. The Government had established a perilous precedent by taking power to acquire a private person's land compulsoril.y on behalf of a privately organised society, and he wn3 not satisfied that Mrs. Peters had been treated fairly. The owner claimed that the Crown Brant on which eho held tho land showed a through road where now there was merely a "blind" road, and this point might affect tho value of the land materially. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hutt) also stated that the owner of the section had not been informed of the Government's intention to deal with her land by legislation, nnd had not been given any opportunity to state her case. Another point to bo remembered was that tho value of the land could not be nssessed fairly until the nature of tho adjoining road had been determined. If the wad was a through road, and not a "blind" one. the value of the land was increased. The Minister of Lands said this point, had b«en established. The Survev Office reported that the road was "blind." Mr. Wilford replied that this- report was not final. Mrs. Peters ought to be given full opportunity to prove her case. Mr. G. Witty (Uiecarton) stated that the Scddon Government, the Ward Government, and the National Government had rofused to take this land on behalf of the Manawatu A. and P. Association. The-present Government had undertaken the task, and had not made sure that Mrs. Peters was getting a. fair deal. Ho admitted that sho had demanded nn absurdly high price for the land, but she had clear right?. , Mr. J. A. Nash (Palmerston ISorth) told the House that the original offer for the land had been .£BOO, since increased to The area of tho land was about two acres, and the price demanded was .£13,200. The land carried no improvements, and the Government unimproved valuation, made recently, was .£660. When offered .£IOOO, Mrs. Peters had replied that she did not want the money, and did not wish to jssil except at her own price.. If the I association would not pay her price she t would hold the land tor the benefit of hw children. Tho association; tho snorts clubs, and the school children of Palmerston North needed this block as a sports ground and playing area. Tho Minister of Lnnds (Mr. Guthrie) assured the House that no injustice was beinc done to Mrs. refers. Tho A. and P. Association had been trying to buj the land, for the extension of its grounds for more than twenty years. The ownor had asked an exceedingly high prico under the' impression that the association must buy. The association had offeied her in exchange n similar area of land nearer the street, and therefore moro valuable, but she refused. Tho show and sports ground had extended rWit round Mrs. Peter's section, which was used merely for grazing, and probduced scarcely enough revenue to pay the rates. The solo access to the section was a blind street, and no through road hnd ever existed. Mr. Guthrie related the history of the case at length,.and assured the House that Mrs. Peters had been hoard on various occasions. . After some further debate the motion to table the report was carried on the voices.