Pastoral lease land

Press, 15 February 1986, Page 18

Pastoral lease land

Sir, — The proposal to include pastoral lease lands in a commercially oriented land development corporation is contrary to the public interest. The 2.7 million hectares of pastoral lands, a third of all publicly

owned land in the country, is spread along the eastern high country from Marlborough to Southland. Within this vast tract are many high mountain ranges, our finest remaining tussock grassland landscapes, and the habitats of several rare indigenous plants and animals. In recent years, several policies have been adopted to effectively integrate conservation, recreation and traditional farming in the high country. Lands administer under these multiple-use policies would sit uncomfortably in a hard-nosed commercial corporation dominated by agriculturalists and land developers. The Government should recognise the folly of its proposal and transfer pastoral leases to the stewardship division of the Department of Conservation. — Yours, etc., KEVIN SMITH. Harihari, February 6, 1986.