HOUSING ON FARM LAND

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30901, 6 November 1965, Page 1

HOUSING ON FARM LAND

Plea To Stop Extension Board members had been concerned, on a receflt inspection, that most beautiful farm land to the north of Papanui was being used as house sites, said the chairman of the North Canterbury Catchment Board (Mr R. M. D. Johnson) at its meeting yesterday. “It is a matter for the Government and not the board to take steps to stop this, but we feel the time has come when the authorities should take action,” he said. “Overseas, they are taking houses off good land and relocating them where less harm is done.” The land referred to was market gardens a few years ago, said Mr F. L. Wright. The discussion arose during consideration of proposals to make land available for industrial use, and to Mr H. H. Petrie, Mr Johnson said that the board’s reserves were on light land. "Land that we had difficulty in using 20 years ago is now very much in demand,” he said.

Mr R. A. Witbrock deplored the “desecration of good land” by the northern motorway works on the north bank of the Waimakariri. The board agreed that its reserves committee should meet the Waimairi County Council to discuss the availability of Waimakariri land for industrial purposes.