The Motueka Star PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. "Te Ora Mota Iwi." TUESDAY. JANUARY 13, 1903.

Motueka Star, Volume IV, Issue 146, 13 January 1903, Page 3

The Motueka Star PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. "Te Ora Mota Iwi." TUESDAY. JANUARY 13, 1903.

Public attention having been drawn to the fact that the Motueka Wharf Board has an endowment of 3000 acres of tidal flats, it-will not he out of place to discuss the question as to whether, by conseivation, the land can be made capable of yielding revenue. Some ■ three years ago a petition, signed by about 60 settlers was presented to the Motueka Road Board asking that body to move in the directi >n of securing the small tidal flats as an endowment for the district. It was found that the

Board had no power to take action, the Waimea County Council being the chief administrative body. Prior to' that the member for the district, Mr j Roderick McKenzie had been instru mental in securing the services of Mr Roberts C.E., who survej'ed the land, prepared plans {now in the custody of the Borough Council) and furnished an estimate of the cost of reclaiming the flats on this side of the Moutere river, the sum being stated at .£I9OO. During the. course of the survey Mr Roberts, in conversation with prominent residents, suggested the reclamation of the larger area at the back of Jaekett's Island, but it was pointed out that that part of the flat was outside the district area. Upon the formation*, of the Motueka Wharf Board the" whole of the flats v in question (dedicated to the Nelson Harbor Board when that corporation came into existence) became vested in that body, and the 3000 acres are now the absolute inheritance of the Wharf Board district, which includes Motueka, Riwaka, Pangatotara, Ngatimoti, Pokororo and Lower Moutere. It is therefore advisable to ascertain the value of this endowment; if it is useless then the members of the Board have a right to approach the Government for a block of land which will benefit the, finances of the Board. The question of reclaiming the flats has been freely discussed since the publication of Mr Moffatt's letter and the opinion is held bv sbf~e that with the expenditure of say £6OOO, the land can be made fit for grazing, and if let for six shillings and eight pence an acre, which would be a low rental, the rents would not only pay interest on the money borrowed, but ■ also leave a substantial balance for the Board to manipulate. The scheme presents no insurmountable difficulty ; if adopted and brought to a successful issue the land, sub-divided into suitable blocks, would be speedily taken and an impetus given to the dairying industry in Motueka. W'e hope to be able to refer to the matter again at a later date. Meanwhile, we shall be pleased to publish in our columns the opinions of others, so that the question may be gone into thoroughly.