SURPRISED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 223, 14 May 1932, Page 5

SURPRISED

MEMBER AND GALATEA REPRESENTATIONS BY MR. C. H. CLINKARD TO MINISTER OF LANDS OPPOSED TO CLOSING Surprised at the rurilours current regarding the Galatea estate was expressed by the. member for. the dis- -* trict, Mr. G. H. Clinkard M.P., in an interview with a "Morning Post" representative yesterday. Mr. Clinkard stated that he had only recently been apprised of the rumoured intention of- the Government to elose„. the estate for a period of three to „ five years,"" and .stated that he would take immediate steps to ascertain the " position. ; " "I haVe learned lyith surprise that it .is suggested that the Gaietea es- i tate be locked up for settlement for* • a period oL-years," said Mlv Ciinkard "arid I intend'fi immediately to make represexltations to the Lands. Department .in connection with the matter. If the Department finds itself unahle to carry out the intended development, it should throw open the estate for selection, or at leriSt exhaust all possibilities of settlement in that direction, before closing the estate and using it only as a run. The necessity for this is particularly apparent in view of the evident need for closer settlement in different parts of the district." Mr. Clinkard stated that he had.already made representations regafdilig the settlement of the Ngakuru blocks . . and had strongly advocated that pt'o- ' gress in this direction should be accelerated. He eonbidered that every" effort should be made to place men on the land as early as possible arid that the men should be given an opportunity to carry ont as much of the development as possible theiriselves. The policy of the Department at pre- ... sent appeared to be to coipplete the fi, development of the farm before allowing the intending owner to dbtain possession. This policy, he cori-;'; sidered was unduly expensive, and restricted the enterprise of the farriler. • In any case he considered thrit development at Ngakuru was already sufficiently far forward to proceed ' with the allocation of some at least of the sections. He was at present engaged in drafting a letter to the ' Minister of Lands (Hon. E. A. Ran- * som) on the subject, alid would in- • corporate representations with re-' gard to Galatea in the same commun- ■ ication. "I am absolutely up against any suggestion of closing up Galatea," - said Mr. Clinkard. "I consider that quite apart from anything else, such - action would orily he calculated to discourage settlement in other direct- . ions. In any case, the work is so forward and the scheme has sueh excelleiit prospects of suecess, that it would be suicidal to postpone its further progress at the pfeserit . stage." Mr. Clinkard added that • if finaricial difficulties were standing in the way of the further development arid settlement of the estate, he considered that the land should be utilised ; for the settlement of suitable unemployed men. These could be assisted * by a measure of sustenance from the Unemployed Board funds on the same * iines as was 1 suggested under Mr. Goates's small farm scheme. Mr. Clinkard stated that he wbiild make available for publieation a cofiy of his letter to the Minister, and as--soon as a reply was received would make a statement regarding the pbsition.