DOMINION NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 82, 27 March 1914, Page 5

DOMINION NEWS.

TAURANCA-EAST COAST RAILWAY. [Per Press association.] Dunedin, March 26. The Prime Minister states that the construction of the Tauranga-East Coast Railway is to be pushed ahead at once from the Waihi end, and within a few days tenders are to be called for four or five contracts, while others will follow in due course.

WELLINGTON CITY LEASES.

Wellington, March 27

In actions brought by the City Council to set aside the awards of the arbitrators in city leases it was explained that the term of “misconduct” was only used in a judicial sense and no personal reflection was made on the honor or integrity of the arbitrators. For the lessees it was argued by Mr Skerrett that these leases were stupid affairs, both from the Corporation’s and the tenants’ point of view. They gave no security of tenure, and put on the improvements a highly artificial test as to what was to be the rental. The tenant always had to pay back rent. He quoted one instance, the T. and G. Insurance Co., which had its lease assessed at £5 per foot and threw it up with improvements valued at £ISOO rather than pay such a sum. Was that evidence of partiality on the part ol the arbiters ?