Report also disputed

Press, 14 March 1980, Page 19

Report also disputed

Mr D. D. Collie, senior advisory officer with the Ministry of. Agriculture in Timaru, disputes the state-

ment of the Chief. Ombudsman, Mr. G. R. taking, that he did not have permission to go into a farming enterprise. - In his report on a complaint against farm advisory officers who are farming part-time in South Canterbury, Mr Collie said the Ombudsman had said he could find no record in the Ministry’s files of any approval being sought or

given to purchase his present block of land (about 19 ha) for the purpose of establishing a goat stud. , , Just prior to purchasing this property Mr Collie said he had obtained verbal approval from his controlling officer, and as soon as the sale wentyg througlf /7W; early October he J had ; applied for permission: ' to ’ operate it as. a goat'.andi sheep breeding enterprise; That permission ;' was granted in writing early<in 1 November and was on his .; personal file.-' ■ < The Ombudsman- -said that he could find .7 no,

record of approval being given. Mr Collie said he could' not have looked very far. Mr Collie also questioned the accuracy of the Ombudsman describing his enterprise as an Angora goat stud. His goats were largely feral or wild animals. Apart from five . purebreds there were about 300 ferals plus first cross kids. .“I; don’t think that you would call it a stud in the next 10 to 15 years.”