LOCAL BODIES REJECT MINISTER’S CHALLENGE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29269, 29 July 1960, Page 15

LOCAL BODIES REJECT MINISTER’S CHALLENGE

A challenge by the Minister of Lands (Mr Skinner) to the South Island Local Bodies' Association to accept a “guinea pig” unit of undeveloped land in Southland to prove that it could be economically developed as a farm in two or three years was not accepted by ,the association's executive yesterday. “I will be only too happy to arrange to make an undeveloped unit available to your association on lease, on condition that it will undertake to develop it to an economic unit ready for settlement in not more than three years and recover its costs on sale,” wrote the Minister replying at length to representations.

“This will give the association the opportunity to prove that it can do the job better than the Government and the Land SettleSent Board. The deal would ive to be with the association itself and not with any member of it I shall be pleased to hear in due course whether the association is prepared to take up the offer.”

Although development at Lynwood, in Southland, began six years ago, not one unit had been made available, although young men were crying out for land, said Mr J. C. Mackenzie (Southland County). "We did not say anything nasty to Mr Skinner in that little talk when we stressed the point that we wanted some sections for settlement,” said Mr Mackenzie. “We told the Minister that we would not- ask that Lynwood should be immediately open for settlement but we did mention the Takitimu block of nine sections, of which at least six are economic.” If the Takitimu block was offered for settlement, there would be 50 applicants for each section, Mr Mackenzie predicted. “I will be happy to take a block up,” said Mr Mackenzie. “It will be an average block, not the stoniest block, covered with manuka.” “Does that mean that this association is going into the farming business?” asked Mr W. P. Glue (Christchurch City Council). Mr Mackenzie: If the Government asks us to do anything, we will do it Mark Time Urged The association should mark time, said Mr Roy Evans (Nelson-Marlborough-West Coast League) "Mark time for 10 years?” asked Mr Mackenzie. It was clear that the association had been effective in its agitation, said Mr Evans. Goodwill had been established. On the motion of Mr G. Manning (Mayor of Christchurch), the executive decided to express its appreciation of the Minister’s

reply and to urge the Government to implement its policy of land settlement, specially in Southland.

It was a question for the annual conference to decide, said the president (Mr G. A. Harris) when the question of accepting the Minister's offer to make land available to the association was raised. It was getting beyond the executive’s province. Mr C. T. Leov (Marlborough County) said the association was clearly not prepared to go into farming and the Government should be asked to make a block available to Mr Mackenzie. . If it came to a question of personalities. Mr Mackenzie should be prepared to “give it a go.” said Mr Glue.

"In any future dealings, the Minister will be able to say he made you an offer and you were not prepared to take him on,” commented Mr Leov.