POWER LINES;

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 69, 23 March 1926, Page 10

POWER LINES;

m QUESTION OF COMPENSATION. (From Our Own Correspondent.) CAMBRIDGE, Monday. Opportunity of the member's (Mr. D. Stewart Reid) presence at the farmers' picnic at Broadmeadows on Saturday was taken by a deputation of Fencourt farmers to bring before his notice several niatters, chiefly that of compensation in connection with land taken and the provision of a right-of-way for all time on land which the Public Works Department's main electric transmission lines carrying power from Horahora and Arapuni will traverse. Exception was also taken to the action of the Public Works Department in only briefly notifying the farmers and land owners, and then for the Department's staff to cart poles into areas cultivated in winter crops and to dump poles in areas of maize and other crop 3 with little consideration for the resulting damage. As each steel tower will occupy 25ft, it is contended that farmers whose land is occupied by the towers should receive reasonable compensation. It was mentioned that in the Wellington district in connection with the Mangahao scheme the Assessment Court set up had granted compensation up to £25 per tower in highly cultivated land. The member assured the deputation that he would bring the matter before the Public Works Department.