XN000022-1972-05-10 — Page 28

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Wednesday, May 10, 1972

SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN CROWN RENT JUSTIFIED

Public Interest Must Be Considered

The Colonial Secretary, the Hon, Sir Hugh Norman-Walker, said

today that for its part, Government had to consider the public interest

as well as the private interests of the 5,000 or so leaseholders involved.

He was speaking in the Legislative Council on a motion to have the present policy of assessing Crown rents on renewable Crown leases

reviewed.

As a general proposition very substantial increases in Crown rent

on the renewal of Crown leases were justified, he said.

This would ensure that part of the enhanced value of property

at the time renewal took place accrued to the body of taxpayers as a

whole, and not only to a tiny proportion of them, he added.

It was true, he said, that there would always be exceptions to

this general principle to meet the problems of particular groups of owners.

He cited land on which there was property subject to rent control,

or land which its owner was for one reason or another not able to develop

to the fullest extent.

he added.

Other matters had emerged which might require a particular solution,

"But those leaseholders who are not in these special categories,

and they are the vast majority, must expect to pay for the renewal of the

lease of their property," Sir Hugh said.

The payment