DENIAL GIVEN

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1932, Page 5

DENIAL GIVEN

GALATEA ESTATE

WORK IS NOT TO BE SUSPENDED

(By Telegraph — Ft, Press Association/

WELLINGTON, June 20

■A denial that ".he Government had decided to suspend development work on the Galatea Estate in the Bay of Pin ty for from tnve e to five years, as ■suggested by Mr R. Mclveen, M.P., wa» made by the Minister of Lands, Hon. E. A. Ransom.

"Mr McKean stated,” the Minister ■said, “that 100 men who were working on tJhe estate had been dismissed, and the Government had decided not to go on with the settlement for three or five yean-. His information is erroneous. It is true 100 men were dismissed, but only because the .road work had been completed and the scrubcutting and fencing had been carried out to the extent necessary for the time being. The Government on'y secured posses! ion of the estate on March 31 last, but by arrangement with the owners it was able to employ a iarge number Of men on the work prior to taking t)vei\ "The intention is to establish at ■Galatea a dairying settlement of 120 settlers. TliT . is a great responsibility, a--cl every care must bo tfiiown in the preliminary stages to ensure the success of such an undertaking. It is e*rentiai that a proportion of pasture be renewed before sections or© made available, and this work is now being put in hand. “As the estate is in a sparsely settled district, many facilities necesrary to a large settlement will require to be provided. For these reasons it is impracticable to place settlers on the estate immediately. It was never intended to consider offering the block befor© 1933.”