CROMWELL NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 20129, 20 March 1929, Page 2

CROMWELL NOTES

[From Ouk Cokuespondest.] A pivdim ion w it" recently made that tiio land qiic-lion would liU• ■I \- he revived to some purpose in the near future. Tli appears at hand, and habeen prompted 1 1 v the Otago Land Hoard ' decision 10 inspect, three runs in Taira- and .Hindis, with :i view In hint prospect-. oh subdivision. Al Lite same lime the motion on the hoard's records oli'ering a renewal of 1 lu; lease' inenlioned has heen rescinded. Jiist how far Idle hoard is prepared ti /pi in the matter remains to he seen, hut. judging by its more recent action', there is no great confidence as tar as the board itself m reneerned. Glendhn is a ease in point. However, the board’s latest, decision has given a lead, and, judging from the tone ol local discussions, a representative local hody is likely to be sol up to urge the question. and will go direct to Wellington if necessary. That many of the mils can he jnciii mnsiy subdivided i' beyond question. Ihe anthoritles would ne surprised at the number v. ho would readily take up much smaller areas and would make good. Anyone with an intimate knowledge of the country realises that areas of line agricultural land exist on many ol the properties, but the necessity for cultivating tins land is not forced on the le-sees. tor ihe one and simple reason that the hig holdings in a natural state give quite ainpic revenue. The lull development and settlement of the country can never bo achieved while I his exists, and every available acre mu-L he made t 1 produce. '1 im hand Hoard has raised a tnrlher protest over its action in grant mg.jit last week's meeting, an area ol I.H'd acres on Aloiuit Ih.-a Hat' to a C.’romwell resident. Admittedly it is only a, year to year license, subject to cancellation on a mouth s notice, bid it h on behalf ol those who have from time to time applied lor similar grants that the protasis are heard. In connection with some of these applications the board decided that m view of the number applying the land would be subdivided into snnahle blocks and offered by ballot. A public meeting will be held lids week at which the 'settlement of these (hits nil! come np for discussion and at which l here is every indication of sonm slraiyht talk,'mil of which will probably'come the protest to the .Minister. Hy’ the way. the Hniled Party’s profession of closer settlement will soon be put tc the lest in these parts. The history ol Mount l.’isa Hals is lh;U nu the subdivision an area, ol some oM'-i) acres of low-lying country was reserved lor Ininre close sdl lenient. A proposal to pa." most of lliis over lo the Cromwell .Development Company was frustrated only by the activities'of the ‘ Evening Star ‘ ami ‘Cromwell Argus. 1 ben the areas were left with the adjoining rtmlmldcrs on yearly license, and, most remarkable of all, to secure a grant Irnm the board over any of ibis the ninholders’ consent had to be obtained. One applicant received a grant of a small area at the north end. Then a farmer lower down also received a yearly license over a lab' area, and to-day lids same land is carrying a crop of nd clover the equal of which lias seldom been seen in these parts.- Apart from these grants, there was still a fairly large area left, and numerous applications were made for sections, with the final decision that- it would he balloted for. And tin top of all this eomes_ the grant last week of 1,71)0 acres. From what can be gathered the ultimate aim is to hold the land in such a way as to permit close .settlement with a big irrigation < Dorm in Urn fulnre. That cannot pos.siblv materialise within four or five years. For that period the board will find many quite willing to lake up much smaller blocks than that granted last week.