Titanic director James Cameron moving to New Zealand

Feb 1, 2012, 8:46 GMT

Wellington - James Cameron, director of the blockbuster movies Titanic and Avatar, has bought two farms in New Zealand and said he would live on them with his family, news reports said Wednesday.

But opposition politicians against the sale of farms to foreigners were not star-struck. 'What does he know about milking cows?' Winston Peters, leader of the nationalist New Zealand First party, told the TV3 channel. 'What does he know about animal husbandry?'

David Shearer, leader of the Labour Party who criticized last week's announcement that a Chinese conglomerate won approval to buy 16 North Island dairy farms, said, 'We don't want foreign owners coming in here and adding nothing to New Zealand farmland.'

The Times-Age newspaper in the North Island's Wairarapa province said the Overseas Investment Office had approved the sales of two farms totalling 1,165 hectares to Anglin Classics, a firm owned by Cameron, a Canadian.

It quoted a Cameron family statement as saying they were 'thrilled to be making a new home in New Zealand' and hope to 'be accepted as good neighbours and good members of the community in South Wairarapa.'

Cameron's purchase application said he intended to reside indefinitely in New Zealand, the world's biggest exporter of dairy products, and live at the property, which he would work as a farm, the newspaper said.

The Camerons would be neighbours of New Zealander Peter Jackson, director of The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Prime Minister John Key said Cameron should be made to feel welcome, TV3 reported.

'People who come from overseas often bring with them a huge amount of capital, skills and a passion for New Zealand,' he said.

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