MOTITARA PURCHASE

Hokitika Guardian, 17 February 1922, Page 4

MOTITARA PURCHASE

AUCKLAND NEWSI’ARER

COMMENT.

AUCKLAND, Keb. 14

The statement made by Mr W. J. Hopkins, of Christchurch, to “The Press’ ’regarding the Motutara Estate, is corroborated by Air H. E. V aile, of Auckland, land agent. “Mr Hopkins’s account is quite correct,” said Mr Valle. “He offered £38,000 for the property and £7OOO for the stock, hut Sir Edwin Mitchelson held that his flock of stud sheep arid his other stock and plant were worth considerably more than £7OOO. The offer was not accepted for that, reason. The other offer that Hr Hopkins referred to was one of £33,000 for part of the property, also from n Christchurch man. To my mind this was a letter offer than the other ,so far as it went. This transaction fell through in consequence of some difficultly with the solicitors.” 'p»ie “Herald” strongly condemns Air Alassey’s suggested, appointment of a Comission of Enquiry. It says: “Mr AlcCallum obviously had no personal knowledge of the estate. That was proved by bis descripion of it as pumice land. He made out no case for either judge or jury, and a member who attempts to raise suspicion oil such slight and inaccurate information deserves no encouragement. If Air AlcCalli.m’s object was to attribute blame to the vendor, he may as well realise t-iat lie has attacked a reputation too long established in the public life of this country to suffer through such tactics. If bis was merely an essay in political criticism, the Government, can surely sustain so half-hearted ail assault without calling in the aid of a Commission. Air McCollum quoted not a title of evidence and it is unfortunate that the Prime Minister should have created ail atmosphere of mystery by refusing to give the valuation of the estate for land tax purposes. Possibly it is not. altogether relevant, owing to the absurd system of taxing on valuations many years old, hut it was the duty of the Government to give all information in its possession. Mr Massey would have answered the allegation better by doing this than by the suggestion o! a Commission which the country cannot afford, and circumstances do not warrant.” The “Star” s ays: “The Prime Alinister’s handling of the charge in the House was not happy. AVe can understand that Mr Massey was annoyed at the imputation cast on an old friend and supporter, but why this refusal to give’ the Government valuation of the property? Everybody knows that Government valuations, which of late years have been allowed to fall shockingly into arrears, are not necessarily a, guide to market values.

TTJE COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY

WELLINGTON, Fob. 14. The Prime Minister informed a ‘New Zealand Times” representative to-day 1 that Cabinet bad not yet been able to consider the question as to what particular form the tribunal to enquire into Air R. McCallum’s charges concerning the purchase of Sir Edwin Mitchelson’s estate would take. It would probably he Rome days before a definite decision would be arrived at. i