OHAU LANDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 July 1939, Page 5

OHAU LANDS

PRIME MINISTER’S REPLY TO PROTEST NO INJUSTICE INTENDED. PLACING FIVE HUNDRED PEOPLE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. People usually did not make a noise about closer settlement as a result of Government action, the Prime Minister. Mr Savage, declared when commenting yesterday on the meeting held at Ohau to protest against the proposal of the Government to acquire a large block of land in the Kuku area, on which to settle market gardeners from the Hutt Valley. Mr Savage said that the proposal was to'place 500 people where about a fifth of that number lived at present, and the Government did not intend to do anyone an injustice in the process. “We have to find houses for our people,” the Prime Minister said, “and I know of no better place that lends itself to development in that direction than the Hutt Valley. Then we have to find means of supplying Wellington with the commodities that now come from the Hutt Valley. Adding it all up, it looks to me as if we will be increasing the number of people who will be using the Hutt Valley, and also increasing the number of people who will be making a livelihood near Levin. “Our objective is to provide for about 500, and I do not suppose it will stop at that,” he said. ALTERNATIVE MOOTED LAND IN LOWER VALLEY. SUGGESTION BY MR B. ROBERTS. WELLINGTON, This Day. A suggestion that land in the Wairarapa might be used for the settlement of market gardeners dispossessed of their properties in the Hutt Valley was made by Mr B. Roberts, member for Wairarapa, in notice of a . question in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr Roberts, who referred to the protests by settlers of Ohau and Kuku against the action of the Government in taking their land for market gardens, said he intended to ask the Prime Minister if he would consider obtaining land in the Wairarapa for this purpose, particularly round Greytown, where it was much superior (Laughter) . c HUTT MEETING VALUE OF MARKET GARDENS TO WELLINGTON. PRIME MINISTER’S FIGURES QUESTIONED. WELLINGTON, This Day. A meeting of market gardeners from the Hutt Valley was held last night, when they conferred with the produce brokers of Wellington, the matter under discussion being that of the percentage of produce supplied by the Hutt Valley to the public of Wellington. It was stated to the meeting that the statement by the Prime Minister, Mr Savage, published on Thursday, was erroneous in that produce from other parts of New Zealand was included by him as grown in the Manawatu. It was further pointed out that the figures from one of the main firms were not correctly included in the report made by Mr J. W. Mawson, Government Town Planning Adviser, which was understood to be the basis of the statement made by the Prime Minister.

The meeting felt that the figures supplied by the firms showing the percentages of the market supplies that came from the Hutt Valley and other districts had been wrongly used by Mr Mawson in that a money basis had. been used. That, it was stated, was a very crude and unreliable method, and much more accurate data should have been obtained before a decision was made to take any action, it being clear that the Prime Minister’s decision had been based on wrong premises. The growers thereupon, passed the following motion: —

“That representatives of this meeting of Hutt Valley market gardeners seek an interview with the Prime Minister to make to him the following requests: To have a complete and accurate survey made of the proportion of green vegetables and tomatoes supplied to Wellington by the Hutt Valley and outside sources. To ascertain the dependence during some months of the year of Wellington on the Hutt Valley for those vegetables. To inquire into the whole question of the supply of vegetables as affected by transport, particularly in view of the present transport restrictions. To ascertain the increase in prices which must in-' evitably ensue if certain vegetables had to be grown farther afield and transported therefrom. To investigate the effect on certain vegetables of transporting the/n long distances during the heat of the day. To investigate the question of how supplies of certain essential vegetables necessary to the health of the people (particularly of infants) could be maintained while new land was being brought into full production.” The meeting further suggested that the deputation should also request that the Prime Minister hold a round-table conference at which all parties affected could be represented and the whole question discussed before any further action was taken by the Government.