BULLER PROSPERITY

Grey River Argus, 13 February 1940, Page 11

BULLER PROSPERITY

STATEMENT BY MINISTER. WESTPORT, February 11. Confidence that the Buller district would prosper rapidly as a dairying centre and that, as a result of the land-clearing scheme now in operation, the 7500 cows now on the land would be greatly added to, was expressed by the Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. W. Lee Martin) at a reception at Westport on Saturday evening. The Minister, who was met by the Mayor (Mr. J. M. Robertson) the chairman of the Buller County Council (Mr. D. J. Archer), and members of local bodies, is on a tour of the West Coast. He is accompanied by the Director-General of Agriculture (Mr. A. H. Cockayne). Mr. Lee Martin said that some of the ground in the Buller district was comparable with the best in New Zealand, and it was the desire of the department to see its production increased to its greatest capacity, so as to give more stability to the district, which hitherto had been almost solely reliant on gold, coal, and timber for its existence. These industries could stop he added, but dairying would continue to develop through the years. Mr. Cockayne said he was pleased to note the progress of the district. In Jhe 26,000 acres of cleared land and other land to be cleared, Buller had a great asset, especially when more attention was given to better grassing. He said the West Coast, with 60 to 70 inches of rain a year, had an excellent climate for grazing purposes. While Buller had developed, Greymouth and Westland districts had also progressed with 15,500. cows and 90,000 sheep on 100,000 acres. Replying to a complaint by Mr. C. F. Schadick (Engineer-Clerk to the Buller County. Council), Mr. Cockayne said that superphosphate should not cost any more than £5/12/- a ton to any farmers in the district. Mr. Schadick said that the present cost was £6/12/- a ton, and £l/7/- for lime. He said that 2500 tons of lime would be needed by Buller farmers this season. • f The Minister said that ’when the report of the Lime Investigation Committee was available, he would see what could be done for Buller farmers.