First ohu to be in Coromandel

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33610, 12 August 1974, Page 2

First ohu to be in Coromandel

iAck Zealand Prew Axtociattou) WELLINGTON, August 11. The Government has given approval for New Zealand's first ohu (kibbutz) to go ahead.

The Minister of Lands (Mr Rata) told a meeting at Parliament Buildings today that he had approved land near Whitianga. in Coromandel. for the ohu. Nearly 20 people have formed mto a group and will move into the area as soon as thev are read' During the twr>-h«ur meeting. Mr Rata discussed details and answered question*

about the establishment and the life-style on ohus. Members of the ohu working party were set up after a Government-called meeting in Porirua earlier this year. Other interested groups attended the meeting. Mr Rata said he would tell local authorities concerned in Giromandel of the ohus formation, and looked forward to their support. There was no reason why ohus should not get the same treatment from local authorities as other ratepayers in a district. Own life-*t>le Commenting on the ohu philosophy generally, Mr Rata said that the communities were expected to evolve their own particular New Zealand life-style. "Thev are not meant to be carbon-copies of the kibbutzim or communes.” he emphasised. The ohu life-style had always been present but society had "decreed it as a lower form of living” — now

it had been elevated to its proper status. So far 25 groups had shown interest in the idea and 300 inquiries, representing 900 people, had been received by the Government. Legal protection Ways were being examined to ensure that ohus were legal entities under the safest provisions protecting their security of tenure to the land. Outlining the new procedures. Mr Rata said 15 or more adults, if their application was accepted, would be given a temporary 12-month licence to run their ohu. If progress was satisfactory, the licence would be replaced by a 10-year lease with perpetual rights of renewal and rent reviews. The Government would rent the land at 4| per cent of its market value. In reply to several questioners challenging the 15 minimum, Mr Rata agreed he was happy to use his discretion in this respect, and said he might even review the number. A problem facing the Government was the task of assessing the needs of ohus in view of the different purposes of individual communities.