“FARM LANDS DESTROYED”

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22431, 18 June 1938, Page 13

“FARM LANDS DESTROYED”

EFFECT OF DREDGING ON WEST COAST STATEMENT BY MAYOR OP GREYMOUTH (THE PRESS Special Service.) GREYMOUTH, June 17. Exceedingly valuable agricultural and pastoral land in many parts of the West Coast has been, and is being, destroyed by goldmining operations, without any possible chance of its being used again for farming. This was a statement made by the Mayor of Greymouth (Mr F. A. Kitchingham) when officially opening at Greymouth yesterday the annual conference of the

West Coast Provincial Farmers’ Union.

Until a few years ago, said Mr Kitchingham, legislation had provided; : n effect, that whenever a claim was filed for mining rights over pastoral and agricultural land, it was the duty of the Warden to take steps to see that such land was not destroyed by the dredging or sluicing involved, as far as was practicable. That provision had operated fairly well and was still on the Statute Books. Apparently, nowever, it did not suit the wishes of the mining companies and of some farmers who, because of financial difficulties, wanted a quick return and thus sacrificed their land for all time in order to obtain gold. In 1934, said Mr Kitchingham, that provision which had protected farming land was nullified by the insertion of a clause to the effect that, if the cost of complying with the provision were likely to be greater than the Improved value of the land for agricultural or pastoral purposes, then the provision need not operate. “For all time, our national heritage, the land, is being destroyed by these goldmining operations,” said Mr Kitchingham, “find, as a citizen, I think you farmers should give , the matter weighty thought.” Soil Erosion Soil erosion was another serious difficulty to be contended with by farmers on the West Coast, said. Mr Kitchingham. It was also a most serious matter for the nation. In the Grey valley, especially, it was really alarming to see the manner in which the rivers were nibbling away at good fertile land which, as a result, was being given over to gorse. The Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) had taken the matter up, but the matter was one which should be urged by the fanners on a national basis. Already in the Arahura valley, farmers had : been practically ruined and it was difficult to.say what was going to happen to the better class land in the Grey valley. Referring to farming , generally on the West Coast, Mr Kitchingham said that delegates were present at the meeting from as far north as Karamea and as far south as Waiho. and it was to be hoped that their deliberations would be successful. Cattle sent to Canterbury from the West Coast in 1029 totalled 1837, whereas last year the total was 8167, the-export having quadrupled in nine years. Sheep and pigs railed in 1929 totalled 23.599, and in 1937 the total stood at nearly 50,000. From figures such as those, it could be seen that farming on the West Coast was growing in import£»nCe# From the counties of Grey and Westland alone, in 1922-23, 460 tons of butter and a large quantity of cheese had been exported, whereas in 1936 the butter total had risen to 860 tons, though there 1 was very little cheese sent away. In those two counties, suppliers to. factories in 1922-23 numbered 827 compared to 659 in 1936. Those figures called for consideration, [t might be that some suppliers were now supplying factories outside the district or possibly there was an aggregation of land going on. Also, it might be that some of the land had dropped 'out of production. Smce 1923. the sheep in the two counties had increased from 54,000 to 82,000, and Grey and Westland now had 2000 horses, 6500 pigs, and 46,000 cattle. “I heartily agree with Mr Kltchingham’s remarks about the harm goiddredging is doing to the land on the West Coast,” said Mr P. J. O’Regan (Inangahua), in proposing a heartyvote of thanks to Mr Kitchingham.

"We would be on very safe grounds if our Mining Act in New Zealand were modelled on that part of the Book of Deuteronomy which says, ‘The land also ye shall not sell for ever for the land is Mine, saith the Lord, and ye are strangers and sojourners with Me’."