SOUTH ISLAND NEEDS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27368, 5 June 1954, Page 5

SOUTH ISLAND NEEDS

DEPUTATION WAITS ON MINISTER LAND DEVELOPMENT, ROADS AND AIRPORTS (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, June 4. Land development on a large scale in the South Island, the completion of the Haast Pass road project and the allocation of aerodrome maintenance and construction costs were among subjects discussed by a deputation from the South Island Local Bodies’ Association which met three Cabinet Ministers yesterday. The deputation comprised the president .(Mr D. H. Cockburn), and Messrs J. C. MacKenzie (Southland counties), J. Boomer (Mayor of Green Island), M. Wallace (South Westland), J. A. Harley (Mayor of Nelson) and the secretary (Mr F. G. K. Gilchrist). When the deputation, waited on the Minister of Lands (Mr E. B. Corbett) it sumbitted that Westland had a special claim to consideration in any land development schemes. Its gold deposits were almost exhausted, its coal deposits were limited and timber production was to be drastically curtailed.

The deputation claimed that the exploitation of Westland’s natural resources had contributed vast sums to the State in taxes and royalties. Little of this had been returned, so that Westland was left today with tens of thousands of denuded and derelict acres.

The area and range of soil types on the West Coast suitable for pasture growth were much greater than had been generally realised, the deputation stated. At least 500,000 acres could be developed into good pastures. Developed to an average production of 1001 b of butterfat a year, it would produce ten times Westland’s actual production for 1953. Much more could be done to increase production in Southland also, the deputation said. In Central Otago, irrigation, particularly in and near Vincent County, would enable l many farms to be established. The same was true of parts of Oanterbury. Some 65,000 acres in Amuri County, in the Balmoral, Culverden and Rotherham areas, could be substantially improved by irrigation. “We suggest that the time has come when the Government should, as a matter of urgency, extend its land utilisation service, so that an up-to-date picture of the development potential of the South Island can be obtained," more particularly in regard to sheep farming and cattle raising,” the deputation said. . - , “We realise and appreciate that large-scale schemes in the North Island are offering quick returns, but they are not catering for men born and trained in the South Island, more particularly the sheep men. We fully, appreciate, too, what has already been done by way of development in the South Island, but the demand for land still exists and will grow.” Haast Pass Road

When the deputation presented a report on the Haast Pass road project to the Minister of Works (Mr W. S. Goosman), it asked that a substantial allocation be placed on the Estimates for both the Haast Pass-Haast section and the Paringa-Haast section of the road this year. It recalled that four years earlier a South Island deputation to the Minister had been assured that the Government intended to complete the job as soon as the order of priorities and the availability of men and materials would allow. Mr Goosman assured the deputation that he would give its representations every consideration. He said he, would advise in due course of his decision. Claiming that the. Haast Pass road was the most important major unmade road project to complete the Dominion’s national highway system, the deputation considered it not unreasonable to ask that something more than a “token” effort should again be evident on a work which a few years ago was a high priority. Apart from the universally recognised value of the road as a tourist asset of great economic importance, the resources—particularly of timber and pastoral products—fully justified its steady prosecution.

“It is our firm conviction that the resources of South Westland, when fully developed, Will engage the labours'of a considerable settled population with a corresponding increase in the flow of population east and west. This development must, of necessity, wait the completion of the roadin g system,” the deputation said. In the absence of the Minister in charge of Civil Aviation (Mr T. L. Macdonald) the deputation placed its views on the allocation of aerodrome maintenance and construction costs before the Deuuty-Prime Minister (Mr K. J. Holvoake). The Government’s policy is that airport costs should be shared on a 50-50 basis between the Government and local bodies. The improvement of the Invercargill aerodrome will be carried out on this basis.

The deputation claimed that the fairest method of meeting the cost of maintenance and construction of aerodromes was, from the Consolidated Fund and not from rates. It submitted that the Government, having elected to conduct the national air service, should conduct it as did the State railway service, both as to maintenance and construction, and that fares should be on a passenger-mile basis.