RANGITAIKI LANDS

Southland Times, Issue 19540, 2 May 1925, Page 5

RANGITAIKI LANDS

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY WIDE ORDER OF REFERENCE (Spcial to the*Times.) WELLINGTON. May 1. Pursuant is a promise, the Government has set up a commision of inquiry to investigate matters connected with the drainage of the Rangitaiki Lands, and the financial difficulties now being experienced by the settlers in the district. The chairman of the Commission will be Mr Ashley Hunter the well known Auckland civil engineer, who was a member of the New Zealand Rivers Commission. Mr W. D. Hunt, managing director of Messrs Wright Stephenson and Co., who was chairman of the Taxation Commission and Mr Heathcote Williams of Gisborne, a well known East Coast sheep farmer, who is thoroughly conversant with the Rangitaiki lands are the other members. ORDER OF REFERENCE The Commission has a wide order of references. Included in its scope are the causes of the financial difficulties,now being experienced by settlers in the district, set apart for the purposes of the Rangitaiki Land Drainage Act 1910. The capacity of the lands to bear the charges leviable against them under that Act, having regard to their value at the time drainage operations were undertaken. The bearing that the increases in the prices of such lands due to sales and transfers effected subsequently to the inauguration and carrying out of such drainage works have had upon the general taxation, now leviable upon such lands. Whether the Government should proceed with the further development of lands within the aforesaid Drainage District by expenditure out of capital, and if so whether such expenditures should be a charge on the Rangitaiki Land Drainage Account, or be provided by way of grant of subsidy. What proportions if any, of the charges to which these lands have or may become subject can equitably be regarded as chargeable against the State and be met by ‘way of a grant in aid of drainage and road words, having regard to the fact that the Government has in the past given grants or subsidies to works of a national character such as roads, river protection, drainage, etc.

By what methods can the settlers indebtedness to the Crown be alleviated, and to what extent what relief if any, should be afforded the settlers by mortgages, other than any relief that maj r be recommended as a charge to be born by the Government Whether on the completion of the scheme of works now being carried on under the Rangitaiki Land Drainage Act 1910, or on the completion of the extension of such scheme, if further works are deemed advisable. The ratepayers within the Drainage District should take steps to have the maintenance of such words controlled by a ' Drainage Board. 1 Whether in the event of such a Drainj age Board being constituted, it should be | subsidised by the Government for a limited I period. What should be such period and the | rate of subsidy. What plant should i>e | handed over to the Board, and what should i be the terms of purchase of such plant by the Board.

Any other recommendations of advice arising out of the subjects prescribed in the

order of reference. The Commission's report is due on 30th