PERTH SUBURBAN LANDS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 281, 22 August 1921, Page 4

PERTH SUBURBAN LANDS

NEW ZEALAND OWNERS TO REALISE UPON THEM. Some fifteen years ago New Zealand was visited by an enterprising person whose mission was to sell suburban land round Perth, in Western Australia. Such were his arguments that he succeeded in selling sections to many people in this country, assuring them that the land would double itself in value before very long. Ever since that time most of those who fell to tho persuasive tongue of the stranger have been paying rates on these sections, and they have eaten their heads off by the mere effluxion of time; others allowed the payment of their rates to go “by the board,” and their lands have been claimed in payment thereof by the local body concerned. Among those who invested was Councillor W. H. Bennett, of Wellington, who purchased four sections in Subiaco and Leaderville, and he has kept up tho payment of bis rates the whole time. He understands that Subiaco has prospered, and land values there have increased, but that is said not to be the case in Leaderville. Intending to end his connection with Western Australia as an owner of real estate, Councillor Bennett proposes to visit Perth in the near future’, and wind up his estate _ there. Knowing that there were others in New Zealand in the same situation as hamsell, he judged that he might bo of service to them, and wrote recently to the authorities of Perth for a list of the New Zealand ratepayers on the lands in question, and their addresses. He received the list some time ago. There were 380 of them. Ho then communicated with them, informing them of his windingup project. Some had passed away, others were silent, but he lias received replies from some sixty of them, who have commissioned him to act m their behalf in the disposal of their lands by the Swan River. Armed with credentials from these owners, Councillor Bennett will visit Perth next month, and do Ins utmost to realise to the best advantage on the New Zealand-owned sections. Mrs. Bennett will accompany her husband. The journey will be made to train from Sydney to Perth.