FARMERS’ APPREHENSION

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1934, Page 7

FARMERS’ APPREHENSION

MINING AMENDMENT BILL FEARS FOR AGRICULTURAL LANDS. MEASURE TO PROCEED IN HOUSE.. I RECOMMENDATION OF COMMITTEE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. On behalf of the Mines Committee of the House of Representatives, Mr. W. A. Bodkin, the chairman, reported to the House to-day that the committee had considered the Mining Amendment Bill and recommended that it be allowed to proceed with amendments.

. Mr. W. J. Polson (Co., Stratford) asked Mr, Bodkin to give some particulars about the Bill as there was great apprehension on the part of farmers throughout the South Island about the effect of any legislation upon their farming land. He had received letters from farmers in Otago and on the West Coast urging that there should be no interference with farming land. He hoped the House would not pass any Bill which would allow good farming land to be sold for gold i mining -purposes and 'destroyed for farming. Mr. W. Downie Stewart (Co., Dunedin West) asked if the committee had corfsidered the necessity of putting the mining laws on a proper basis. Mr. F. Jones (Lab., Dunedin South) expressed a hope that the arable land of Central Otago would be adequately protected under the Bill.

Mr. J. A. MacPherson (Co., Oamaru) said he thought the statements of land being destroyed by goldmining had been exaggerated and he thought regulations could be brought in to protect the few small areas that were affected. Mr. A. E. Ansell (Co., Chalmers) supported Mr. Polson and Messrs. Stewart and Jones said in Otago much good agricultural land had been destroyed for all time by gold mining operations. Mr. E. F. Healy (Co., Wairau) said there was much English capital available for gold mining operations and he, too, hoped that good land would be protected.

Mr. E. T. Tirikatene (Ind., Southern Maori) appealed to the Minister to see that native lands, such as the Arahura River, were protected. The Hon. C. E. Macmillan, Minister of Mines, said the Bill was largely designed to protect land and provided for the payment of compensation for land affected. Mr. Bodkin said much damage in the past had been done by the freeholder. He thought the whole of the law should be revised and a consolidation measure brought down. The measure went a long way to protect the agricultural land holder. - The report was tabled.