IDLE LAND ON COAST

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29891, 3 August 1962, Page 10

IDLE LAND ON COAST

Mr Rowling’s Plea For Aid (Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, August. 2. A plea for powers in the hands of the Minister of Finance to be used for the development of primary and secondary industries in the South Island was made by Mr W. E. Rowling (Opposition. Buller) in his maiden speech in the House of Representatives tonight. Mr Rowling was speaking in the debate on the second reading of the Public Revenues Amendment Bill of which gives the Minister extended powers to encourage local industry. “I have no objection to these powers being given," Mr Rowling said, “’but I am concerned at the way existing powers have been exercised. I believe that these powers should be used in a correlated way, to promote even and integrated growth.” Mr Rowling said that the pending entry of Britain into the E.E.C. made it even more important that New Zealand’s economy should be expanded He cited several example? of areas in his electorate which would benefit by financial assistance. A very good example, he said, was at Waimangaroa. just north of Westport, where 3000 acres of swampland awaited development Farmers had turned a portion of this into first-class pastureland. The cost to the individual farmers was £2B an acre, but a programme entailing work over a large area would be proportionately less. Flax Country In a neighbouring area the land could be turned into the best flax country in New Zealand for £5 an acre. The flax grown there at present was the cleanest in the country The district had a great deal of sub-standard land which could be brought back In the Cape Foulwind area some 250 acres had been brought back, but he was disturbed to hear that it was intended to bring back only 60 acres a year for the next two years. It was essential for a balance to be preserved between primary and secondary production It was also important to offset the growing imbalance between the North and South Islands The economic decay on the West Coast must be halted ’’Much of the South Island is suffering from lack of opportunity." Mr Rowling said. “It ts necessary to bu:ld up a balanced economv before we get stability—and this we require above all to offset the threat of the Common Market.”