FARMS ALLOTTED: KIWI BALLOTEES ON NGATAPA BLOCKS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22694, 20 July 1948, Page 4

FARMS ALLOTTED: KIWI BALLOTEES ON NGATAPA BLOCKS

For seven Kiwi land-seekers and ballotees in the Gisborne district, prospects have brightened a great deal during the past week or two with the allotment of the sections at Hihiroroa and Hiwinui on which they hope to make their homes as farmers.

Five of these men were selected by ballot originally to work on the two blocks during the period of development after their acquisition by the Crown. The other two were selected by departmental committees to serve as managers of the respective blocks. Most of the men concerned have been working on the blocks since early in 1947.

All seven were promised their sections when they took up their employment on the blocks, and recently they took part in final ballots to determine which sections should be theirs, among those ready for occupation. Houses For Hiwinui Settlers

11l the case of Hihiroroa, two out of five available sections were drawn by the manager and one ballotee. . They will provide their own accommodation in the meanwhile. On the Hiwinui settlement the manager and three ballotees were allotted their own sections, though with the provision that they will continue to work as a team until the development programme goes a good deal further. They will have houses to live in and will have the opportunity to improve their environment in their spare time. One other ballotee in the Hiwinui group also has had his section allotted, but without the advantage of immediate occupation. Three sections remain to be allotted on the Hihiroroa block, and one remains in the Hiwinui settlement.

Final Charges Net Yet Fixed

Both blocks are the subjects of claims for compensation from the Government for their compulsory acquisition, under the terms of the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Act. The Gisborne Land Sales Committee recently fixed the value of Hihiroroa at £56,349 and that of Hiwinui, forfcrly known as Taumata, at £74,419. These awards are subject to appeal to the Land Sales Court, but even at the Crown’s original offers of £42,000 and £53,530 for the two blocks the settlers would have been facing charges well in excess of the maximum rehabilitation loans available for sheepfarming enterprises. It will be some time before final charges to the selectors can be fixed.

The allocation ballots resulted as under: —

Hirlroroa Block. —Section 2. Block 5, Waikohu S.D., 1249 ac„ A. H. Lane; Section 3. Block 6, Waikohu S.D., 596 ac., V. F. G. Redwood. Hiwinui Block.—Section 1, Block 12, Waikohu S.D., GBoac„ R. P. Murphy; Section 1, Block 9,1123 ac„ T. H. Maxfield; Section 2, Block 9, 1120ae„ P. C. Lundon; Section 3, Block 9,1203 ac., A. F. Box; Section 2, Block 13, 1745 ac„ Geo Sykes.