DETERIORATED N.Z. LANDS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19378, 16 July 1937, Page 10

DETERIORATED N.Z. LANDS

INVESTIGATION URGED SYSTEM OF SETTLEMENT V A LUATION AMENDMENT (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. Among some of the remits touching the Government's land administration adopted by the conference of the New Zealand "Farmers' Union was one urging the Government to investigate its undeveloped and deteriorated lauds, with a view to making the lands revenue-producing under practical supervision. Asserting that the Government's policy to deteriorated lands was "outrageous," Mr. W. J. Poison, M.P., said that when times were good the Government would farm land, and when they were bad someone else would. It was time the whole subject was investigated. Mr. H. Hunt, of North Taranaki, said that some counties were almost bankrupt through loss of rates on deteriorated land that had reverted to the Crown.

A plank that the Government should facilitate the taking up of land by suitable settlers with small amounts of capital was added to the policy of the union by the conference. A remit from the combined conference at Dannevirke, asking the Government to bring down a policy of closer settlement, was not approved. Following a discussion, the president, Mr. W. W. Mulholland, said if the conference either passed the remit or rejected it. it would give a wrong impression. He suggested its withdrawal, and this was agreed to. A motion that the system of land valuation be amended so as to give a more equitable system of arriving at the unimproved value for land tax, sent to the conference as a remit from the North Taranaki executive, was adopted.