THE PUTARURU PRESS. ’Phone 28 – – – P-O. Box 44 Office – Oxford Place THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1928. IMPORTANT ISSUES EVADED.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 262, 15 November 1928, Page 4

THE PUTARURU PRESS. ’Phone 28 - - - P-O. Box 44 Office - Oxford Place THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1928. IMPORTANT ISSUES EVADED.

THE report of the discussion, by members of the Matamata County Council in regard to the planting of trees 'on lands suitable for farming reveals a most serious situation. It is hard to reconcile thsa-vStatements of the Prime Minister in regard to his desire to promote efficiency with the attitude of the Hon. Ministers of Lands and Agriculture and the member for this district in. regard to this matter. For months past now the two, Ministers mentioned have consistently sidestepped the efforts of the Matamata County Council and other local bodies concerned in their repeated efforts to get the pumice “areas classified so that land suitable for farming purposes might not be planted in trees, while it is revealing no secret to state that the deputation which recently went to Wellington with a view to. getting a commission of inquiry set up to further this effort was unanimous in • the belief that little support was given by the; member for the district in furthering its requests. The position is a most serious one, for not only are various farmers likely to be isolated and left to bear an intolerable burden in rates, but the recent acquisition of a farm, of over 3000 acres, part of which wa.s. grassed by the old Thames Valley Company over 40 years ago, and which is situ- ' ated on a bituminised road, shows that unless some immediate alteration is made the menace may become one which may affect the very existence of a town. The attitude of the Government towards this question reveals little else than a deliberate endeavour to evade the points at issue, while a perusal of the correspondence addressed to the various local bodies concerned shows an utter disregard of the dangers which confront the settlers and townspeople in the southern portion of the Matamata county.