DEVELOPMENT OF COAST LAND FOR FARMS PLANNED

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 October 1948, Page 2

DEVELOPMENT OF COAST LAND FOR FARMS PLANNED

The intention of the Rehabilitation Board to proceed with the development, as soon as machinery and materials become available, of land on the West Coast to make further areas available for the settlement of former servicemen was referred to by a member of the board, Mr J. J* Granville, yesterday. Mr Granville, together with Mr G. L. Martin, of the Land and Survey Department, Wellington, yesterday visited Greymquth for discussions with representatives of the farming sub-committees of West Coast Rehabilitation Committees on problems connected with the land settlement of servicemen.

“As a board we feel that there is a certain amount of scope for closer settlement generally on the West Coast,” stated Mr Granville. “It is our intention to utilise for soldier settlement any available land which may be suitable.” A good deal of the land available, Mr Granville explained, required development, and as soon as materials became available, it was the board’s intention to proceed with the development and to bring men from outside areas to the West Coast for settlement purposes, if this is necessary. There was no real land settlement problem on the West where approximately 60 ex-servicemen have already been settled on the land, said Mr Granville. A further 20 remain to be settled, and there is ample land available, so that no further difficulties are expected in completing their settlement. Messrs Granville and Martin left Greymouth this morning on return to Wellington.