MR. MASSEY’S LAND

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 101, 22 January 1921, Page 6

MR. MASSEY’S LAND

A LETTER MISUNDERSTOOD WHY BE REFUSED TO SELL The refusal of the Prime Minister (Mr. Massey) to sell some land at Mangere East to the Auckland Education Board 'for school purposes has been misunderstood. A telegram from Auckland, published yesterday, mentioned the refusal without' stating the reason, and proceeded to suggest that the board might take the land under the Public Works Act. Air. Massey’s actual letter to the Education Board, dated December 18, 1920, was as follows: — ■ "Dear Sir,—l desire to acknowledge .he receipt of vour two letters of the lltn and 16th instant respectively, asking whether I would be prepared to sell to the board for school site purposes part ot my property at Mangere East. Whilst 1 am desirous of facilitating in any way I am able the carrying out of the board’s proposal to acquire a site for school purposes at Mangere East, I would prefer, so long as I remain Prime Minister, not to sell any land which would be used for State purposes. I have stood out of such transactions right throughout the period of my Premiership, and as I have already had one very unpleasant experience of this kind I am particularly anxious to avoid repetition. Trusting that you may without much difficulty oe successful in selecting ■ another suitable site for the school,—l remain, etc., "(Sgd.) AV. F. Massey.” ■ When the Legislature Amendment Bill was under discussion in the House of Representatives on Novemljer 8, 1920, Air. Alassey made reference to the very point that has been raised by the offer of the Education Board. "I have always been careful to keep clear of anything of this sort," he said. "In the day’s of the National Government a case did arise in which. I was indirectly interested. A relative of mine yvas the owner of a piece of land which the Education Department wanted for their purpose. I heard of the matter, and when it was brought before Cabinet by the Alinieter of Education at the time, the Hon. Air. Hanan, I said that sort of thing was no use. to me —that opponents of the Government would say all over the country’ that this was a swindle which I had yvorked. I asked my colleagues in Cabinet to turn the proposal down, and that was done. A few days ago a similar question was raised affecting another member of the Government. There was a proposal to acquire a block of land in which his brother was interested, and he took up exactly the same stand as I had taken, and ire did not go on with the matter. I mention these instances to members to show how careful members of the Government are. I realise that members of the Ministry cannot be too careful about this sort of thing. Care has been taken in the past, and care will be taken :n the future."