Plan to Sell Lime to Buller Farmers in Large Quantity

Grey River Argus, 17 April 1948, Page 8

Plan to Sell Lime to Buller Farmers in Large Quantity

At the Buller Progress League, monthly meeting on Thursday evening, the chairman, Mi’ L. Mockett, said: “In my opinion we lost the greatest potential public benefactor in the history of this district when Mr W. Johnston was discouraged in a scheme for him to develop large areas of pakihi lands at his own expense. He claimed that his programme of land development would have encouraged .farmers to purchase cheap dime, in large quantities from Mr Johnson. Instead, nothing was being done to help landholders in any way.” Mr Mockett said he felt that the average farmer on the West Coast could not do a great deal on his own to keep properties in order without breaking new land. Speaking of the Agricultural Department attitude to pakihi development, he gave an instance of men being hired 12 months ago to plough an area. It had been left for six months. Then it was harrowed. No grass was sown. The area was allowed to return to the original state. He understood that a claim was made that the fertiliser available was too low in standard to waste on such land. He knew that farmers generally were using fertilise!’ with advantage on othei’ blocks in this district. Air Mockett was critical of a committee appointed at a meeting of the West Coast Farmers’ provincial body. He said the committee was given the widest poweirs to ■ investigate possible, sources of cheap lime. It did not even meet. Vague excuses were made. One prominent member confessed a slip of memory on the matter. If that committee had met, he said, all trouble concerning Whitecliffs and other sites might have

been avoided. Mr Johnston received a very bad spin from West Coast farmers. It appeared that the Member for Buller, Hon. C. F. Skinner, had listened to other interests instead of interests in his own electorate whe nnegotiations were going on for Air Johnston to be allowed to work the Cobden quarry for his lime. There were fears that Mr Johnston was merely a capitalist, and was out to fleece people. These were groundless.

Mr Mockett said that a big song had been made by the Buller County Council over granting to Mr Johnston the sum of £l5O for a bridge. The council demanded that he should pay £435 for the rates on the property which he intended to develop. It would have been for the good of Buller. He understood that the rate demand was paid, under protest. Mr Johnston had paid all other expenses without ceiling one pennv assistance.

It was decided to take up the matter Hon. Mr Skinner when lie next visited the district.