‘lndecent Haste' Of Land Purchase Board

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 March 1948, Page 4

‘lndecent Haste' Of Land Purchase Board

A protest against the cursory nature of the inspection which the Land Purchase Board recently carried out on the West Coast is to be made by the West Coast branch of Federated Farmers. The haste which the Board showed was described by Mr M. Wallace at yesterday’s meeting of the branch executice as “almost indecent” and the chairman (Mr W. H. Martin) commented that it was “a wonder they did not fly over in . a ’plane.”

Mr Wallace said that the board members arrived by air at 2 p.m. on Monday, raced out to Kokatahi-Koi-terangi; raced up the Grey Valley and then raced to South Westland, and left again on Thursday. “The whole thing, to my mind, was farcical,” he added. “As far as I know they never got out of their cars except to have lunch. Ido not question the ability of the men, who were keen on their job, but I do question the almost indecent haste in which they were directed to come round here.” Racing Through District “Possibly it was not the board’s fault,” added Mr Wallace, “but to my mind it is ludicrous to come down here to report on the possibilities of development and land subdivision in Westland when you race through the district as if your time was desperately tied.” The chairman (Mr W. H. Martin): It is a wonder that they don’t fly over in a plane. Mr H. G. Carter said he agreed with Mr Wallace. As experienced as the members of the board might be, he did not think they had the qualifications to take in the situation at a glance. The Progress League, he thought, were just as disappointed at the short time the board spent in the district, said Mr Wallace. A Kopara landholder had informed him that the board members did not ( get out of their cars there and “saw nothing.” In the Kokatahi-Koiterangi district there were 40,000 acres of land, and yet the board members arrived at 3 p.m. and were gone before 5 p.m. It seemed to him (Mr Wallace) that the whole thing had been reduced to a farce and in his opinion the board should have stayed at least a fortnight. Question Of Report Mr W. Clayton: Are they to report to anyone? Mr Wallace: To their Minister, I suppose. We will hear about it in due time. The trouble, said the chairman, was that in a case like that it was possible for a totally wrong impression to be formed.

Mr Wallace suggested that it warranted a' protest, stressing that the executive was disappointed at the cursory nature of the board’s inspection.

It was decided to give effect to Mr Wallace’s suggestion and to enter a protest.