Tuesday, October 3, 2017
BUYER Jono Nicholl says there are at this point no plans to put in a kiwifruit orchard, but that his family wanted to preserve it. OB1950-01
Sven Carlsson
A CONTRACTUAL omission has caused an unwanted result for a slice of East Coast heaven.
Whanarua Bay resident Karl Nyman says a rumour that a property investor who has bought a piece of land in the bay and plans to grow kiwifruit on it, is bad news.
“We don’t want this area polluted,” he said.
The land in question had originally been in collective Maori ownership, but was transferred into general title so a man called John Wirepa could buy it.
“He was going to put a paua farm there, but unfortunately he died prematurely,” Mr Nyman said.
“His widow was then unable to meet the payments so the land went to the bank.”
Mr Nyman said there ought to have been a clause in the contract that facilitated the return of the land to the hapu in unforeseen circumstances such as the death.
Instead, the land had been sold to a farmer from Taranaki, who now lives in Taupo.
“He built a mansion on one half and his cousin got the other half, but he has now sold it to a property investor,” Mr Nyman said.
Mr Nyman said he believed in progress, but growing kiwifruit in the area was wrong.
“There are elderly people living right next door,” he said.
“If we wanted to put in kiwifruit we could have done it years ago.”
There were several other things that could be grown such as squash, avocado, corn and fruit trees.
Mr Nyman said the land was also close to the sea, with any chemical runoff from a kiwifruit orchard being very detrimental to the kai moana.
Profits from a kiwifruit orchard were worth little if health was sacrificed.
“I am all for growing the economy, but not at the detriment to health.”
Mr Nyman said the buyer had not consulted with the hapu.
“He needs to come and talk to us,” he said.
“We have 100 signatures on our petition.”
Kiwifruit orchard owner and property investor Jono Nicholl said there were no immediate plans to put kiwifruit on the land.
“Putting in Gold kiwifruit on the half hectare would be economical and it would help with work and income in the area,” he said.
“But at this point, that’s not the plan.”
Having spoken to his family, Mr Nicholl said there were lots of different possibilities.
“It is a beautiful piece of land and the family wants to preserve and enjoy it,” he said.
Growing organic produce on at least part of the land was another possibility.
The land was now in freehold European title and until he was contacted by the Opotiki News, Mr Nicholl was unaware that residents were concerned about the purchase and the notion of kiwifruit going in there.
“This is the first I have heard of it,” he said.
“I am happy to talk to the residents.”
WHANARUA Bay resident Karl Nyman says residents do not want a kiwifruit orchard on land that is still seen as ancestral land by many. Photos Sven Carlsson OB3083-01
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TRUSTEES of Motuaruhe 4G do not want kiwifruit to be grown in their vicinity.
Motuaruhe-Whanarua Bay is a small coastal area situated along State Highway 35 on the eastern side of Te Kaha, 78 kilometres from Opotiki,
Most of the residents live close to one another and wish to prevent a kiwifruit orchard from being established in the middle of our community.
We do not want our lands, forests, waterways, oceans, beaches animals and people contaminated by the harmful chemical sprays required for the growing of kiwifruit.
We are concerned citizens and residents who want to act now to prevent a kiwifruit orchard from being established in the centre of our community.