‘Change unacceptable’

Press, 9 December 1988, Page 9

‘Change unacceptable’

A testimony of the farmers’ relationship with Crown pastoral lease land was yesterday relayed to the Waitangi Tribunal by South Island people. Evidence was supplied by Mrs Iris Scott, a pastoral lessee at Rees Valley Station, Mr Jim Morris, a pastoral lessee at Rakaia and Mr Donald Cochrane, a lessee at Hunter Valley Station. The lessees submitted that any change to the existing tenure would be unacceptable.

Mr Cochrane said that he paid $650 in annual rental for 24,000 acres of land.

All the lessees supplied evidence on their relationship with the land.

“Like the Maori, I too have been brought up and moulded on the myths and facts, traditions and innovations, fascinations, and non-fascinating sheer hard work of the high country, passed down by successive bosses, managers, shepherds and wives,” said Mr Morris. Most high country people had an affinity for the land that surpassed possession or profits gained, he said. “It has been said jokingly about a couple of runs, that the Crown should pay rent to the settler.

“When the sheep are caught in the snow or the river is lapping at your saddle it is only the way of life that keeps you there.”

After 25 years of working as a shepherd in the “back country” and a “lucky break” as a lessee, Mr Morris was grateful for the opportunity to farm the land.