FORESTRY QUESTION

Hokitika Guardian, 10 July 1923, Page 4

FORESTRY QUESTION

(To the Editor). Sir.—Mr Keenan lias gone to some trouble in collecting evidence for Ins letter of the uth. and judging by his .statements be was not short of advice from the Forestry Office in Hokitika. According to Mr Keenan’s letter, lie is advising the public of facts, but he has omitted those facts which do not suit ids side of the ease. Yes the Forestry made an offer of C.'iJO, hut in the first pln'e the Conser- | vator of Forests told us two months I after v.-e had paid the £o(IO for the : lea-e that we need not do any more j vet k on the land as they had eumi mainh'cicd iln block lor nursery pur- ; |iosc- lb- said im compensation was ! payable, because the lam! was owned ' by -It, Government. yet the Comniis- '■ sinner cu Crown l.amß agreed to the i trati'l.r for Cooo. Had we tried to , borrow the money from the Governi liiont. we lake it licit same would n.n | have been granted on at count of the j title, but they had no objcition to te, I dropping out own money. At this t ~tage the Forestry professed m lie the ; owners and as far ;i, our mom-y went, j v." 11 we could fish lor that, j After a lair amount if ronv-pund- | "t.c-e and agitation hy people who felt sure we were not Iteiitg justly treated, the tahles were turned on the Forestry Department, and it was agreed that we should stay on the land and the Fores, try would have to look elsewhere for I their nursery site. \Ve were then hlamj ed for keeping the ntirserv out of the I district simply because we put up a j light. We wer.' no more desirous of I beeping the ntirserv away from here than was Mr. Keenan, hut did object to having a point put on to us. Wo then arranged with the Conservator of Forests to inspect the farm with its to see if an arrangement could be arrived at between its. whereby lie could have his nursery and leave us a -mall portion te do a little milking and ( looping. We took ibis stand, not as .Mr. Keenan suggests, because we were afraid we would never be able to sell and transfer, but because we wished to i,net the Forestry in a fair manner, and not having people saving we t based the nursei-v away. We did not wish to net off tho laud because our titles would never be transferable, and if v. e are still allowed to ectupy, we are quite prepared to baud the block hack i, hen are hnished. However the Conservator inspected uitli us and was quite satisfied there was room for both, and suggested a division whir l) we were quite agreeable to. It was then agreed (lint we offer the whole of the farm to bis Department for £loo—or as an alternative leave us the portion and reduce the prim. The Conservator was quite aware that we preferred lit" alii rnatiie and gave us his word that l would assist us by endeavouring in arrange the a'-reptatne of the alternative. and would also endeavour to get u- a holier til-le to the piece which we were still to occupy. Tie’ option was given his Depart meut —hut for months In- could give no definiic reply, ami alter hanging on expecting the Department to reply for about six months we were (ompclied to make some arrangements to get winter feed and tarry on. To do this ve starlet! negotiations for the sale nt a pmlitabl" business at Itualapii. which has been sold. We wrote the Forestry early it) November stilting that tin-option would he withdrawn fi-. from the end of November. Could we be blamed for inking this stand. We leave the public t" judge.

! From November the whale mallei j scented in die a mifitul dentil. Tla I FelV'lrv seemed to think that it wa j i,essib|e ilia! their del 5 ma\' be cut j short owing In the troubled waters in 1 I’elii if... However, in the midd!" I March of litis year, the Fme-trv wrote and offered ns CJ.iU I n' total ' p.asse-sion .taking good . at" not to i nr. nl inn our altern.il ive w herein v, e i '.mt to retain a I the laud. j and si eing that «<• had our w inter fei d ill cm! glo'.llid ploughed. we reI hell stilting ihiil under ihe change I I irt'UlUsliiim.’s we Wen- unable to a - ee|.t. especially as ve had practically i: mulcted the >.a'e 'I **ur Dimlaiei but. i t.'ess. which Wilt Slid - i tout W" could work the farm. (If imi use had Mr Keenan I • n in mu position we do not iluttht that in bis tistial good style lie would have y;;|he I off the laud in the iuleie-t----f:t the Far. stry ami goitr nil pnhli' . Fi uni our deiding with the forestry Dev nr.war to he a new Drpnrl mutt being business in a manner mov p« • ’ • ••! lie ami a . f".r a. who should he lu.l! I I’r-i. tli> pnhli" or ourselves vr I oink it is be-I to protect ourselves lii-si . then do Ihi h".-l for lbi> public. \\e lake ii that if the I co. -t rv d ’ sinrl i heir nor erv ttud so - ltd £203 1 a vc r £|:i 9 im a, ; mb wok and £R'O) id management, that Mr Keenan will .till have Ids business premise- onen t lie I -md hours to catch as mm h as possible of the first £lO :0 and p. rlmt>ii little of the second £ Ilf ID. Ji> eonclnsion we uiigld. state ve rave done nothing we are ashamed 'I and have only look.nl for a fair hearing. Wo arc etc.. MARRY &■ K. J. WELL*.