DEVELOPMENT OF MARGINAL LAND IS ADVOCATED

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 October 1948, Page 7

DEVELOPMENT OF MARGINAL LAND IS ADVOCATED

A remit urging the highest priority for the development of second and third-class land in the South Island was discussed by the annual conference of the South Island Local Bodies Association at Westport yesterday, and will be sent to the Minister of Agriculture (Mr E. L. Cullen). Stressing the urgent need for bringing marginal land into production, Mr P. J. O’Regan (Reefton) said that the main reason for such land not being brought to productivity was that the younger generation was not being brought up to be “land minded.” Mr G. Gourley (Karamea) said it was a terrible thing to see such land allowed to go to waste, especially at a time when greater production was being urged. He said that although the Buller district, with its vast coal resources, was considered by _ some people to be playing its part in the drive for production, there were still vast tracts of land capable of being brought up to compare with the finest in the country. Supporting the remit, the Wallace County Council, in a statement read to the conference, said that the question of increased production was more important to the national welfare than the provision of amenities, and should be treated accordingly. There were great areas of land in the South Island, particularly foothill country, which were capable of development, but which were beyond the means of individuals to develop. There were individuals willing to take up such land provided they were assisted. To carry out the development of such land the Government should be urged to make plant available at a reasonable rate and should institute a system of subsidies on approved land development work, the statement added. A system of deferred payment of the farmer’s share should be instituted.