LAND DRAINAGE COMMISSION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 17 September 1925, Page 3

LAND DRAINAGE COMMISSION

imOOO I (EG HIKES TO BE WRITTEN OFF (From Out Parliamentary Correspondent) W ELLINGTON. This Day It appears that as a. result of the Rnngitaiki l.ind Drainage Commission, a sum of £300.000 will have to he writ ten oif set tiers’ holdings. The Hon. Mr McLeod informed the House yesterday afternoon that as a result of tiie Commission’s reeommenda ■ tions. legislation would he required. The whole question was as to whether the HO.OOG acres of land could carry the heavy load of the debt that had been placed mi it hy the expenditure on the work already mentioned. He believed U could not. and tin’s belief was justified by the finding of the Commission. He was confident, however, that if the land could have been kept above sea level, and so retain its lull carrying capacity. it would have been quite capable ot shouldering the burden quite comfortably. At present, however, there was only a few inches clearance at high tide. The original intention bad been to spend £40,000 or £50.000 on a .scheme to open up the mouth of the river, but as the land was opened up. settlers called for development and drainage with the result that several subsidiary schemes had later been brought forward, involving an expenditure of four or five times what was originally proposed. It was not correct to say that the original .scheme had cost three times the estimate. One of the greatest obstacles was the dealing with existing mortgages, and in this direction the commission had been vested with wide powers. with the result that the writing oft of about £300.000 was proposed. The solution of the mortgages question must eventual ly come through individual negotiation, between the mortgagor and the mortgagee. He considered that whatever expenditure was undertaken in this area, woidd be quite justified.