Dairy Land Used For Afforestation

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 407, 16 July 1928, Page 11

Dairy Land Used For Afforestation

STRANGLING A TOWN PROTESTS at putaruru (from Our Own Correspondent.) PUTARURU, Saturday. The operations of a recentlytormed afforestation company near Dntaruru is causing much confer„ among settlers and local bodies in this district, owing to the L e t that it has been purchasing land suitable for dairying on the outskirts of the town. sallowing a protest from settlers, putaruru Chamber of Commerce, 4110 t„wh Board, and Matumata County Pencil have all dealt with the suhV , ~nd each has entered a strong J'fY* to the Government. P Tt the last meeting of the Matamata *„,y Council, formal letters wefe L ived from the Prime Minister, the iSmmlssioner of State Forests, and Minister of Lands on the 10 tion These replies did not quite certain members, and Cr. rtibv (Putaruru riding) stressed the fT, that, if not checked, the opera;r„„c, of a certain company would rest in the town of Putaruru being suangulated by a ring of pines. UnforLtolv public opinion was not awake T the seriousness c f the position, string to the fact that a certain amount of ready cash was being circulated oy »n older company. Afforestation companies were taking ‘ tdvantase of an Act of ParliaITfnt which was designed years ago rn encourage tree-planting. This Act ve exemption from taxation, and if gaining country was allowed to be plant-’'!, the position would be most serious POSITION MOST SERIOUS Cr Rollett: Have they exemption from tho aggregation clause? Cr S. H. Judd (chairman): I think that applies to individuals only. Cr. W. H. Allen (Okoroire) also held that the position was most serious, as irood dairying country was being bought for tree-planting when there was plenty of land available for trees which was not suitable for dairying. He urged that the land should be classified by a qualified expert and that the Government should be approached on the question. The chairman thought the council should endeavour to obtain an alteration in the Valuation Act, which gave afforestation companies exemption from taxation. In his opinion only trees planted as shelter belts should be so exempt. He moved in this direction. Cr. Darby seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PERTURBED At a later stage in the meeting a letter was read from the Putaruru Chamber of Commerce, stating that it had interviewed Mr. F. F. Hockly, M.P.. with a view to obtaining a commission of inquiry into pumice lands near Putaruru, with a view to settlement, and the prevention of good land being used for tree-plan ting. Cr. Darby said lie visualised the position as being so serious that if tho council was not prepared to take a determined stand in the matter, he was prepared to start propaganda at his own expense to awaken public opinion. The chairman held that anything done should be done by the council officially and as a whole. The matter was receiving attention in Wellington and perhaps it would be as well to leave it at that for„the present. Cr. Rollett asked if there was any chance of the council being loaded with the cost, of the commission. Cr. K. S. Cox pointed out that the chamber felt that the question was such a serious and public one that the Government should bear the expense.

On the motion of Crs. Darby and Allen, the council then unanimously decided to take immediate action and

support the Putaruru Chamber of Commerce in its request for an inquiry into the classification and use of pumice lands near Putaruru. The council also unanimously decided to express its sympathy with the action of Cr. E. J. Darby in his offer to conduct propaganda at his own expense with a view to educating public opinion to the danger arising from the planting of potential dairying lands with forest trees by commercial bodies.