Land sale 4in line with act’

Press, 26 March 1980, Page 2

Land sale 4 in line with act’

PA ' ' Wellington Government approval of the sale of private land to Prince Nawaf of Saudi Arabia was in line, with the Land Settlement Promotion and Land Acquisition Act, said -the Acting Minister of Lands (Mr Maclntyre) yesterday. Replying to criticisms by Sir Basil Arthur, the Labour spokesman ■ on agriculture, IMr Maclntyre said the act protected New' Zealand farm land from overseas purchase, with two exceptions: purchase , by a British citizen who had been- a resident of New Zealand' for at least 21 years within the previous three years, and by other non-New Zealanders where an exemption was granted by the Minister of Lands and the Minister of Finance. Mr Maclntyre said an essential provision of the act was to conduct experimental or research work on , the

land that will be of benefit to the development of agricultural interests in New Zealand and be in the interests of the community generally.” “Surely even Sir Basil can see the great benefit from the programme (of proposed research on the farm) by having animals bred that

t will be readily acceptable on - the Middle East market. z “Certainly as Minister of - Agriculture I can see great - possibilities arising from this original research, spei cially given that the Middle i East market now pays more 1 than the European Economic z Community,” said the Minist ter.