GALATEA ESTATE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 13, 3 October 1944, Page 5

GALATEA ESTATE

PROSPECT OF SOLDIERS SETTLEMENT

COUNCIL URGES GUTTING UP

The Whakatane County Council reiterated its decision last Tuesday to make firm stand in urging the Government to throw the Galatea Estate open, for soldier settlers under the rehabilitation scheme. Strong criticism was expressed at the reply received from the Minister of Lands who was approached last monith with regard to this suggestion. I'll his communication the Minister of Lands stated that there had been no decision made as yet with regard to the settlement of the Strathmore and Tokoroa blocks by ex-servicemen and as the reasons for not opening Galatea applied with equal it was not possible to say when it would be open. The Council, how r evcr had his assurance ' 1 that all three blocks would be made available for ex-servicemen as soon as conditions permitted. He added that he would like to state, as the Minister for Lands and Rehabilitation that he was anxious to see that land was made available for ex-servicemen, but at the same time he was, just as anxious that the established men should have every chance of success. Cr Luxton said that he considered Galatea as> the most suitable area of Government owned land in the whole of the. Bay of Plenty for settling returned soldiers on. He compared the. possibilities of this land with other tracts which the Government was now preparing and declared that settlers on. even the poorer parts of Galatea were doing fairly well, and actually had topped the herd testing figures for the Bay. He said further, that he had brought the matter up at the R.S.A. con-» ference but. it had been shelved and put off. It was ridiculous to see such a fine block of land going when it was needed so and he urged the Council to use its best efforts to have it settled. The production of Galatea farm lands j he declared, was equal to the average per acre to that, of the Rangitaiki. There was something fishy in connection with the reluctance of the Government to make Galatea available.

Gr Cawte declared that 1000 acres of river flat at Galatea which were now being brought into production were equal to the best land anywhere. He was backed up by Cr Hunter who declared that much of the country was the same class as that of. the Plains, ; while for general healthiness, Galatea was a 100 per cent, better for stock owing to its elevation.

Cr McCraclten criticised what he termed the. "departmental shuffling" that was going on with regard to Galatea, and urged that the Council should reiterate its previous decision, and agitate for the immediate opening of the block.

"This goes on throughout New Zealand," said Cr McCrcady. "Look at Onepu where soldiers were put on one of the worst and poorest parts of New Zealand. On. top of this they had a 100 per cent mortgage. to meet, which constituted a

load that could never be yet here is rich Government owned land which is being held back."

Cr McGougan declared that it was very strange that a splendid tract of land like Galatea should be retained by the Government which was ostensibly pledged to a policy of tin-owing the best land open for soldier settlers?

The Council decided to ask the Minister to afford it a chance

of meeting him at Galatea the next time he visited the district with a view to collaborating in, a scheme for opening the estate for settlement at the earliest possible moment.