“TURNED DOWN.”

Matamata Record, Volume XIII, Issue 1111, 3 April 1930, Page 4

“TURNED DOWN.”

LOCAL FARM PROPERTIES. ' ,i n « r ■ •/ . h;* l ••. ; *"'■ .•- Refused by Purchase Board. . j . News.was received in Matamata last week-end that the after many months of delay, had -de- ' finitely turned down the properties at Turanga-o-moana, near Matamata, 'v which had been offered for closer settlement purposes. These properties, which are owned by Messrs. Maisey, senr., H. R. Harding and Ryan, offered fine scope for closer settlement purposes, and the price submitted was held by the great majority of people in. a position to gjve an opinion, to be a reasonable and fair one, and one which allowed settlers to be placed on the land with every prospect of making good. The total area offered, which amounts to well over 2000 acres,, and was capable of being cut into thirty-odd farms, is practically all in grass and in a condition to allow of milking heing pursued by settlers the first season. The largest of the above blocks is owned by Mr. Maisey, senr., whose property is some 1500 acres in extent. It is understood that this area was offered to the Government at £2O per acre, and the other properties at a figure silghtly .in excess of | that amount. After dallying with the ’ matter since last September, finality was reached last week, largely as a result of the intervention of the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, and an offer was received from the Land Purchase Board which amounted in ' round figures ..to just under £l6 per acre, and just under £lB per acre, including roading and ring fencing. In the meantime, however, Mr.. Maisey had withdrawn his property from the Government’s books owing to the exasperating delay, and this area was cut up for private sale. The Government’s offer so far as Mr* Maisey is -concerned has been promptly turned down, but it is understood that another counter offer is being made on behalf of Messrs. Harding and Ryan. A private survey of Mr. Maisey’s block has now been completed, and the area has been definitely cut up into 18 sections, averaging about seventy acres each, with 170 acres left round the homsestead. Though this plan was only completed during the past few days, already 13 of the 18 sections have been sold at an approximate figure of £2l 10s per acre, including roading and fencing. Practically tjhe whole of the buyers are local men, and in no case is there aggregation, this wonderful response showing that those in a position to judge are satisfied that the price is an economic one. 4 The price offered to Mr. H. R. Harding by the Purchase Board was £2l per acre for a total area of 467 acres. This price includes the homestead and roading. An alternative offer of £l7 per acre for 367 "acres was also made. Mr. Harding, for health reasons, is keen to make a deal with the Government, but in conversation with a representative of the Record stated that he did n<s£ think a sale would be affected owing / to the price offered being considerably below what he considers a fair amount. It is understood that Mr. Ryan was offered the sum of £l7 per acre for his whole block, including the homestead, and about £l3 per acre for the back portion. Messrs. Harding and Ryan were ,in Wellington last week, and interviewed Mr. J. B. Thompson, Under-Secretary of Lands, on the subject and the above offer was received by them on their return to Matamata.