TIDAL FLATS

Northern Advocate, 20 May 1929, Page 3

TIDAL FLATS

| NIGHT TO RECLAIM, j i STABLE TITLE WANTED. I l i ' | DEPUTATION TO MINISTER. | (Special to “Northern Advocate.’') AUCKLAND, This Day. A promise that the whole question of regulations in their relation to settlers’ rights to reclaim land on tidal flats in the North would be reviewed and carefully investigated, was made by the Minister of Marine, (Hon. .1. G. Cobbe), when replying to a deputation received at Whangaroa during the Minister’s Northern tour. Mr H. M. Rush worth, M.P., introduced the deputation, which consisted of fifteen settlers of the district.

There were hundreds of thousands of acres of tidal flats in the North which could be reclaimed and turned into farm lands, said Mr Rushworth, but certain difficulties stood in the way. These difficulties, and the eventual results, varied in different localities. In no case' was it possible to predict exactly how the land would turn out. It was a gamble, but the settlers were quite willing to take the risks under fair conditions. Three years ago he had interviewed the Hon. G. J. Anderson, then Minister of Marine, who had explained that the regulations governing these reclamations were obsolete and new ones were being drafted. Apparently the matter had not been settled. To him, the present position appeared quite Gilbertian. As far as he understood, it seemed that a person wanting to reclaim his flats had, at first, to apply for the permission of the Marine Department. The work had to be carried out to the satisfaction of the Department, and then the farmer had to take part in a ballot for the land which he had reclaimed. It should bo made easy for people to reclaim tidal flats adjoining their properties, he contended; any land which they reclaimed should be given to them, or they should be allowed to hold it at a nominal rental.

Mr Wilfred Lane said that the desire of the settlers was legislation which would give them a title to the tidal lands at a reasonable figure. .In renaming the land they were spending no more money than was absolutely uocesasry, but they feared that •w heir it was subsequently valued an excessive price would be placed on it. If the freehold of 1000 acres in the Whangaroa district that could be successfully drained and put into pasture were given to the settlers, there would be additional rates and - between ijo, and 100 tons more butter produced. Mr C. B. Michie, of Kaitaia, mentioned his own ease. On taking over his property some time ago, he said, ho had had transferred to him ::

license from the Marine Department for over 200 acres of tidal flats adjoin ins his property. For this he paid an animal fee; in a few years the amount would be increased. He had recently found that there was a danse in the license under which it was terminanle at any time by a notice in the “Gazette.” It was generally estimated by those who reclaimed tidal flat areas that the land did not become really useful for ten or fifteen years, and it was recognised that there was a great risk, as good results could not be assured, partly owing to the uncertainty' of high tides.

Mr Rook, who has reclaimed about 00 acres, said that the quality of the ground to be drained varied greatly., His own reclamation was much harder to bring in than a mud-flat. He had boon working the land for ten years, he said, but since writing to the Department six years ago on the subject of ownership, when he received a reply to the effect that the matter was being dealt with, he had heard nothing. He had another 250 acres which he could reclaim, and others were in a similar position; in many cases the work could bo done for £l2 an acre. , M NTS TER. ’S REPLY.

In reply, Mr Cobbe said that when 'Mr Rush'wortli • brought the matter before him in Wellington, the subject was an entirely new one to him. The ■question was now receiving the attention of the Department, He sympathised strongly' with the members of the deputation, and believed that a man avlio did such reclaiming work should be aide to secure the freehold of that land, lie understood that the Marine Department had certain inalienable rights to a strip of the foreshore, but lie considered that, provided certain reasonable rights were reserved, a man should be aide to obtain the title to the tidal lauds he had reclaimed. Full investigation would be wade with a view to meeting the position in any way' possible.

Mr Cobbe was shown several areas that had been successfully reclaimed, and his attention was drawn to the possibilities which would be brought about if Die settlers could look forward to securing a satisfactory title to the land they had reclaimed.