31 JANUARY 1941, Page 3

Already speculation in land values has started and the Minister

of Works and Buildings has appointed a .special committee under a distinguished Judge to enquire into the whole problem of land. It was the same gentleman, Mr. Justice Uthwatt, who reported recently on the basis of valuation for compensation. It is obviously no easy task to devise a fair basis for valuing war damage ; war-time values are unfair ; post-war values would provide new houses for old ; it has therefore been thought wisest to take 1939 or pre-war value as the best yardstick. This, of course, assumes that there is no serious change in the value of money itself. • * *