GALATEA ESTATE

Hokitika Guardian, 18 May 1932, Page 2

GALATEA ESTATE

DEVELOPMENT CEASES

ONLY FIVE M£N EMPLOYED

(By Telegraph —Per Prets Astoeiation,

AUCKLAND, May 16. The Rotorua cor,respondent of the “Star” asserts that development operations on the Galatea estate, which was purchased by the Government for subdivision, and was intended lor the settlement of 200 families, lias ceased, and possibly will no! be resumed lor three to five years. Fencers, scrub cutters, navvies and cultivators have all been discharged, and there are now only about five men on the whole job. Shortage of money lias no doubt- largely been responsible for the cessation <1 tlic work, but it is suggested that there

are other causes

The area of the Galatea ("-late is 22,325 acres. It was purchased from AJ” H. E. Troutbeck for £78,137 10s, an average of £3 10s an acre. ’ In addition roads and bridges have cost £SO scrub cutting £2OOO, fencing £4500, making a total outlay of £134.637. This capital investment- apparently is to remain practically unproductive. True, there are 7500 sheep and 700 cattle on t*>e place, but this is a paradoxical situation when it is remembered that the station was taken for closer settlement, and that when in one big run it carried 18,000 sheep, 50 horses and 1500 head of cattle.

r ' : . 1 Approximately there have liomi eigb- . '{yon to twenty miles (/ fencing laid out—tiiat is, carried out and laid along the linos ready for erection, at » cost of Is per chain. Tfiis is- all being lifted agai^-aL,*' l - cost of another. Is n cluiin. ■ When 1 * fife Government decides to resume th#job the material will have sflio paid out once more, at the cost of still another shilling a chain..