Land Development On Coast: Much State Help Needed

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 March 1948, Page 5

Land Development On Coast: Much State Help Needed

I If further development of West I Coast farm lands is expected, consid1 cradle assistance must he given by the I Government. This was the view of. i members of the West ©oust Federated Farmers, who discussed the position iat the quarterly mooting at Grey- ' mouth today. It was uneconomical in many cases for new land to be : brought in, it was stated, and finance, machinery and labour would have to , be provided by the Government. I There views were expressed during 'a discussion on a forthcoming confe*- | ence at Wellington to deal with soldier settlement, and Messrs M. I Wallace and J. Mulcare were appointed to place I tic posit ion of West j Coast farmers before the conference. • Machinery Required ; “There are thousands of acres of i second and third grade land on the : West Coast, but high-powered machinery is required to bring it into prodution,” said Mr 11. G. Carter. The , work, he added, could be carried out in a co-operative manner or under a collective system.

“I do not know of any Crown land ■ n this district that is derelict, but there is a tremendous amount of good land that is not utilised.” said Mr Wallace.

“If the people want, these areas to be developed the Government will have to take a long-term view—-the statesmanlike view-—arid provide the necessary financial assistance and the necessary machinery and make available the necessary iubour," he said. “Without these tilings the job is beyond the capacity of the people in Westland. I am not trying to excuse those who did not make very strenuous endeavours in. the past, but today without the throe things I mentioned nothing much can bo done. And there are immense possibilities here.” “Job For Government" “It certainly is a job for the Government to provide these facilities, declared Mr Carter. “They should come to light with them.” “And who is going to foot the bill for the amount between the value of the land and the cost of bringing it into production,” asked Mr W. Clayton. “Land might cost £2O an acre to bring in and still be worth only £ 10. Who is going to pay the extra? “I have never yet heard anyone solve that one,” he added. “Unless a farmer can get some return for laying out his money, he is not going to do n,” said Mr Clayton, supporting the opinion that the Government should adopt a long term view. “No one can place a value on land that is left tor posterity.” , Support for the establishment of an experimental station on the West Coast to test methods of bringing unused land into production, was given by Mr Mulcare. u “The present system has failed, declared Mr Carter, pointing to the pessimistic mood prevailing where cost was concerned. “There is pessimism about the cost of bringing m land which is essential to the country’s economy,” he said. “It is a realistic view,” remarked Mr Clayton. “We must have some assistance, said Mr Martin.