LOSS OF FERTILE LAND

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27307, 25 March 1954, Page 12

LOSS OF FERTILE LAND

SPREAD OF CITIES DEPLORED PRODUCE MERCHANTS SEEK RESTRICTION (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 24. Government action on the continued “misplacement” of buildings on fertile garden land and fdrm land is urged in a statement today by the New Zealand Fruit and Produce Merchants’ and Auctioneers’ Federation. “Members of the federation have for years warned against the waste of land in this way, and it is reassuring to note that at last the weight of responsible opinion is getting behind them,” says the federation. “Particularly do we welcome the suggestion to the recent architects’ conference that there was a strong case for compacting our towns to ensure that the next million of population are provided for without making inroads into the land which gives us our national wealth. “Already federation members have experienced the price of sprawling suburbs as they reach further, afield to draw in adequate supplies of vegetables to feed the townsfolk. Naturally, too, this has led to higher food prices. ‘•As many farmers will know, the problem is by no means confined to the loss of market garden land,” the statement adds. “As the towns and cities come ambling out to meet him, the farmer is finding that some of his acres are becoming valuable building properties, and the temptation is for him to sacrifice their . productive value.

“At present in New Zealand there is an illusion of wealth and space in our lands. We are feeding the people, and making a national living_by exporting the rest. On present population and on present world market conditions, this may be so, but it will.be a different story if the next million of our population continues to misuse much of the land in the way much of it has been misused. Wide suburban streets and big front lawns do make for pleasant home life, but it is time the Government told the people that the country cannot always afford the space.”