M.O.W. studies how country people live

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34009, 25 November 1975, Page 12

M.O.W. studies how country people live

For the last year the Ministry of Works has been doing research on rural living to help in planning the best uses for rural land. Researchers in the project, ’.commissioned by the town and country planning divi- ’ sion of the Ministry of Works, will visit another j 750 families before the end of the year. Market Research (N.Z.), (Ltd, will make the interviews to see why people I move to rural areas, how ’ they plan to use their land, and the advantages and disadvantages they see in their life-style. The problems raised by residential use of rural land — the “10-acre block" is the most often quoted — have become increasingly apparent. Good agricultural land is limited, and local authorities are reluctant to see it lost to residential development. Last November questionnaires were mailed to some people with properties of between two and 25 acres. About 13,500 properties have the household head employed full time away from the property, or retired. While the interviews are i being carried out, a number of smaller studies will continue. These will use data already available to assess the consequences of rural rest-' dential living. Topics under examination ! will include: provision of I bus, telephone, electricity, ■ sewerage, drainage, postal .and rubbish services and

.( reading improvements, and the inflationary effects on valuations of surrounding land. . Information on individual I properties will remain

confidential, but it is expected that results will assist central and local gov. ernment in planning. The project will probably be completed by April.