'Wicked To Interfere With Improved Land'

Northern Advocate, 25 May 1949, Page 6

'Wicked To Interfere With Improved Land'

PAPAROA, Wed. (0.C.). —“It is wicked to interfere with the ownership of highly-improved, land,” said Cr H. S. McCarroll, of Taipuha, at a meeting of the Otamatea County Council. Under discussion was the land utilisation survey of unproductive lands in the county undertaken by council members. Several members had not yet completed their surveys, stated the engineer (Mr A. W. Tassell).

Mr Tassell advised he had compiled a report upon the Kaiwaka-Hakaru-Mangawai areas for the Lands and Survey office. He considered there was every likelihood of immediate action being taken in those areas. Cr W. Preston (Ruawai) asked what the attitude should be towards par-tially-improved areas, which could more correctly be labelled “brown spots.” Cr Preston said there were some such areas in his district. POLICY DEPLORED Owners should be given the opportunity of either themselves bringing the land to a full production value, or of giving it to someone else. Cr McCarroll deplored Government policy of taking mainly high-producing farm land for servicemen rehabilitation.

The chairman (Cr T. H. C. Snelling) said: “We don’t want to interfere with the old peoplb who can’t very well sell their land for what they will get at present-day values. “There are a lot willing to sell their land; but not at 1942 values,” he commented.

Cr McCarroll: When land is being compulsorily acquired, in the final showdown, local knowledge is not taken into account at all.

Cr R. D. Leslie: I would say that tliis would be done now. Cr Preston: In Ruawai there is a lot of land that is not being worked at all.

Its energies would be more profitably employed if directed towards the bringing into production of undeveloped and partially-improved lands, he said.

“It is wicked to interfere with the ownership of highly improved land,” he concluded. Cr L. Ramsbottom considei'ed many owners had seen their land deteriorate during and since the war years through the shortage of suitable labour and materials.