OREWA LANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume 304, Issue 304, 23 December 1926, Page 3

OREWA LANDS.

DRAINAGE AND GORSE. DEPARTMENT PROMISES ACTION. A deputation representing owners who had bought Government sections at Orewa township waited on Mr. H. J. Lowe, Commissioner for Crown Lands, Auckland, relative to the need for drainage and gorse-cutting on the area. It was complained that the Government allowed gorse to grow on its lands adjoining private property, the seed from which was spread broadcast by protected birds, whilst private owners "were compelled to cut it; that drainage from unoccupied Government land swamped sections which had been acquired by private owners, and that the Government plantation on the 20-acre reserve extending along the beach was neglected. It was also urged that the Lands Department should offer for sale the remaining sections, after instituting a proper system of drainage, and so allow them to be acquired by persons who would combat the gorse" and blackberry menace. At the outset Mr. Smith, one of the Departmental officers; who had conducted the second of the Orewa subdivisional sales, contended that the Government had not, as far as he was aware, promised to drain the land, although he admitted that drainage easements had been shown on the subdivisional plans. He also denied that,' on the representations that the land would be cleared and drained, the sections brought over three times their upset price. However, he frankly agreed that they had fetched far above the reserve, several sections over twice as much, and one, at least, over two and a-half times more. Mr. Smith also pointed out that the reserve had been gazetted a recreation reserve, with the idea of handing it over later to a , locally-constituted domain board, and, further, attention had been drawn to the fact that this portion of the beach had been planted with marram grass to prevent it encroaching on the flat at the back, and that a number of lupins and a total of 1600 pohutukawas, too, weTe planted—6oo of these trees having been put in within the last year. _ After some vigorous talk on both sides, the Commissioner undertook to ask the Lands Drainage Engineer to prepare plans for a comprehensive drainage scheme, and to try and obtain from the Government the money to carry out this scheme; to see that the gorse on all the Government land at Orewa was cut back at least a chain from the boundary (as, Mr. Lowe observed, even the Government was required by law to do); and to obtain valuations regarding the unsold land in the township area with a view to preparing plans for further subdivision and sale. The deputation departed well pleased with the promises obtained, and hopeful that too much time would not elapse until they were given effect to.