Land development by Government 1945-69
1970
Plunkett, H. J.
From the earliest European settlement in New Zealand the wealth of the country has depended heavily upon agriculture. With a lack of useful mineral resources, small population, isolation from markets, moist temperate climate and relative abundance of land, the country's comparative advantage in international trade has centred on the production of bulky, low cost agricultural products. That this is still true is illustrated by the National Development Conference's Targets Committee projecting that over 50 per cent of the increased exports necessary for the country's continued economic growth is to come from agriculture; the sector already providing over 75 per cent of the country's exports. Although the major proportion of these exports is to come from the intensification of existing farms a considerable increment of output will be contributed by the Government continuing its current level of operations in developing new farms from existing agriculturally unproductive land. It is not the aim of this study to see whether or not the Government should extend or contract these activities. The aim of the study is rather to review past operations in this field to establish a sound base for an intelligent analysis of this particular activity of Government in New Zealand. The evolution of the Government's role as a land developer is outlined in Chapter II, and criteria for evaluation are advanced in Chapter III. Chapter IV sets out the difficulties involved and expedients adopted to enable the study to proceed, while Chapter V sets out the results. Finally in Chapter VI the results are interpreted, conclusion drawn, and some thoughts on future policy are advanced.
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