DETERIORATED LANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19311, 26 April 1926, Page 6

DETERIORATED LANDS.

NELSON AND WEST COAST. AREAS TO BE PROCLAIMED. ANNOUNCEMENT BY MINISTER. The provisions of the Deteriorated Lands Act passed last session are to be extended to certain areas in the Nelson and Westland districts. In making this announcement last week on his return from the South Island, the Minister of Lands, the Hon. A. D. McLeod, stated that he had gone into the back districts to obtain first-hand knowledge of the conditions existing, and had come to the conclusion that a quite largo area would require to bo proclaimed subject to the provisions of the Deteriorated Lands Act. Mr. McLeod said he had seen conditions during his visit which were quite as bad in the matter of reversion to second growth as anything ho had seen in the North Island. The area to be proclaimed would include a largo area in the Murchison district. In some respects the Act would be difficult to administer. The committees to be appointed under the Act would ha v e no difficulty in making recommendations in regard to the remission of rentals.

The Minister stated definitely that no advances would be made unless the Crown could secure priority to any existing mortgages. That was only fair to the general taxpayer, as loan moneys could not be advanced to assist settlers which would merely result in improving the position of the mortgagees. With existing Government loans the position would be more simple, as probably the Lands Department would bo able to register a joint first mortgage with the department concerned.

In a speech on the West Coast Mr. McLeod stated that the Land Department was the most important Department oi State, even irom a financial viewpoint. He thought ho was correct in saying that the total amount of money he was responsible to Parliament to pay interest on was over £50,000,000. The money had been borrowed, and the interest upon _it must be met, The growth of repatriation and other efforts in connection with the soldiers constituted a great responsibility. Although at times he might appear hard to individuals, or to districts, he hoped it would not be forgotten that he owed a duty to the general taxpayers as a whole to see that a reasonable interest was paid upon the money invested. The Minister added that he knew that the man on tlm land was having a mighty hard struggle. He had seen land since he came through the Nelson district that was capable of much development, and he had seen a great deal of land that never an axe should have been put into. Much of the land would never be farmed under present conditions. Different methods must be used, and some effort made to prevent land deteriorating.