LAND AGGREGATION ALLEGED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1782, 29 January 1918, Page 3

LAND AGGREGATION ALLEGED.

A DAIRY COMPANY’S PROTEST,

(Palmerston Standard)

Some apprehension is being felt in the dairy interests by a form of land aggregation that, if allowed to continue, will., it is stated, seriously affect the dairying industry; This particularly'refers to Avhat is. hap- • pening in the district immediately beloAv Ashhnrst, Avherc, oAving to several dairy farmers having been called up tor war purposes, or having otherwise disposed of their properties, their farms have passed into the hands of one oAvner, who has turned the properties into grazing country. The result has been that dairy herds have had to lie disposed of, and this, it is slated, has acted detrimentally in the quantity of milk received in at least one factory Avhich had found it necessary to call the Government’s attention to the matter. This concern is the Whakaronga Dairy Company, the Board of Directors of Avhich has Avritten to the Government as folloAvs: — “The Board of D irectors of this company wish to write you with regard to a block of land of about 4,000 acres in (his neighbourhood, Avhich has in part fallen into the hands of a capitalist, and, further, it is fearful that extended areas are likely to he acquired by the same person. The land is of excellent quality, and on both, sides of the Alanawatu river. It has been .in use for dairying purposes, and is Avell suited lor sneh use. In this Board’s opinion, the bloek would be a desirable acquisition for the benefit of relumed .soldiers, and-respect-fully recommend that (he Land Purchase Board should make investigation with that object in view.” Mr P. Robeii, chairman of directors of (lie Whakaronga Dairy Company, made a statement this morning on the matter. lie said,that the acquisition of those dairy farms, which had previously snpolied his factory, had caused a considerable decrease in the intake of milk, and as it avus known that negotiations Avere proceeding to acquire other dairy farms in the same locality, the company's operations were likely to be largely affected if this wholesale buying-up of dairy farms j’or sheep-grazing Avere eomtinued. In order to give an idea of the shrinkage that had taken plaee in the intake of milk at the factory, he gave the following comparison for the years 11)16 and 1017, the figures repressing pounds of butter-fat: —

191(1. 1917, October 37,000 29,000 Xovemb 37,000 32,000 December .... 37,300 31,700

Mr Bobert said four or five dairy farms had already been absorbed. "If tbis is allowed to go on,” he said, "we are going to be very short of butter and cheese, because the cows on these farms axe, as a rule, fattened off and sold for beef, and are lost to the dairy industry.” The Wbakaronga Company is meeting again at an early date to further consider the position.