CO129-283 - Acting Governor Major Gen Black - 1898 [5-6] — Page 445

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for 20 cents a square foot and is now on offer for 25 cents a

square foot.I must mention that there is a handsome bungalow

on Mr. Chater's lot of which the area is 264,500 sq. feet. This

at 50 cents would fetch $132,250: deduct $32,250 from this as

the value of the bungalow, and the land itself works out at

about 37 cents a sq. foot.

This Government has offered Gun Club Hill to

the Military Authorities at a premium of 8 cents a sq. foot.

6. As the Military Authorities have not afford-

in

the let-

ed this Government much of the information asked for,

ter of the 3rd. June, I am necessarily at a disadvantage in ar-

guing the case of this Government.

7. In the first place, Mr. Ormsby's estimate may

be taken as reliable. It is based on the selling prices of

neighbouring properties: it is the estimate of a public officer

one of whose duties is the valuation of land, who has also the

advice of competent officers of long experience in this Colo-

ny to rely upon. I assert therefore that Mr.Ormsby is in a

better position to form a correct estimate of the value of

land than any military officer or employee.

8. Next, the land is offered to the Military

Authorities at the upset price which would be fixed if the

land were on sale at public auction. The War Department are

therefore offered offered the land on the favourable terms of

an upset price and are relieved from all competition by auc-

tion. If they went into the market like other land purchasers,

the

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