NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH ENDOWMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 April 1919, Page 7

NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH ENDOWMENTS.

INSPECTION OF STRATFORD PROPERTY.

A committee of the New Plymouth Borough' Council; comprising Mr. C. H. Burgess (Mayor), Crs. Clarke and Short, Messrs P. T. Bellringer (town clerk), W. H. Cook (borough engineer) and K. H. Bartley (electrical engineer), who went to Stratford on business connected with the deputation to the Ministers of Public Works and Lands, took tie opportunity on Monday afternoon of inspecting the New Plymouth borough endowment at Stratford. These consist of 2000 acres of valuable dairying land subdivided into fifteen sections. The endowment commences at the Skirjner road, about two miles from the Stratford Borough boundary, and runs along both sides of the East road for a distance of over two miles to the Standish road and close to Toko. When leased over 30 years ago it was all in standing bush, the rental fixed being very low, and, as the term was for 42 years, the borough does not yet receive much benefit from these endowments. The first of the leases, however, falls out in seven years and the last in 10 years, and when they come to be renewed New Plymouth should derive considerable benefit, as it is estimated that the land is worth now an average of about £4O per acre. It had been reported that there were considerable areas of noxious weeds, notably ragwort, ox-eye daisy and blackberry, but Mr. Harris, noxious weeds inspector, who accompanied' ihe party, stated that they were much better in this respect than many other farms, the lessees being .good farmers. Indications bore ovt;-. tts mucli|of the land is under the' plough. . T¥e party visited I the worst of the farms' and noticed a little ragwort and ox-eye daisy. In a corner by the Patea rivev under bush and on land subject to 'fjGod. there was r a patch of blackberry, but it could be sean.';that the lessee was; confining the weed to that area. Mfenthers expressed themselves as well pleased with the result of the visit, the land being in a much better state than reports had lead them to believe.