WITH THE PIONEER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1040, 1 February 1911, Page 6

WITH THE PIONEER.

LAND BOARD IN THE BUSH. FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE. ' Tlio Wellington District land Board, whoso duty it is to settle Crown lands and to superriso Crown tenants, who aro having a tilt at fortuno in the oldest anil surest ivny known to man, is a body who aro fortunate enough to havo as guide, philosopher, and friend a very practical man indeed—the Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr. Jas. M'Kcnzio). During tho past fortnight—weeks when hi(lf the community has been holidaymaking—the Commissioner and members of the board, accompanied by the Crown Manger (Mr. Luniliu?}, has been exploring that big tract of bush country (now being broken to the service of man) which is bounded roughly by tho Tauniarunun district (north), the Wanganui River, west o£ the Alain Trunk line (cast), and a line drawn to the west from Eaetilii. It was their purpose to thoroughly inspect tho laud in the Kaitieko and Ecitaruke blocks, and so gain a first-hand knowledge ot tho conditions under which the settlers wore working. Tho tour was commenced at Tautnarunui, whore tho party embarked in a Maori canoe, and tloatcd gently down the picturesque W'anganui fiiver for a considerable distance, only breaking off here and there where settled valleys converged upon the river. In such cases they made their way into the fcackblocks cither on foot or horseback to view- the landscape, and to be interviewed and deputalioniseu bv the settlers.

Eoads! roads! roads! aro what the settler clamours for. . Roads are always a crying need in any newly-settled bush country, aud the reward o£ years of toil comes * not until there is a good trail over which it can travel. Some of the settlers on the blocks named had been, granted leases under the Bush au/l Swamp Lands Act (which means a remission of rent for four years), und, as a natural sequence, thero were plenty of others who were of opinion that they should receive tho same consideration. Koto.was taken of each request, but it was' pointed out that as the . law now stood the board had no power to alter tho conditions of a lease, except by special legislation. The board, however,, will givo consideration to ■ the representations of the settlers, which they ere now especially equipped to do. They proceeded in tliis way down stream as far as the Eetaruki River, when they broke away from the watqr and penetrated inland along the survey tracks on horseback to pursue the second object o£ the expedition—to inspect the big South Wainiarino block, which is to be.thrown open for settlement this year and nest. This block lies to the south of the. Kaitieke land, extending roughly between the Wanganui ltiver and tho Main Trunk line. It is proposed to throw open about 23,000 acres of "this block in March next, and 30,000 acres next year; Tho land, which carries fairly heavy bush, including a proportion of milling 'timber, is described .by tho Commissioner r.s flat and easy in the north to hilly and broken in tho centre and south. Tlio altitude ranges from about 500 ft. above sea level in tho north to over 2000 ft. at tho highest points in tho southern portion of the block. Tho going was pretty rough in this country, but, fortunately, tho parry was favoured with fine weather, and did not faro badly. Speaking generally, Hr. M'Kenz'ie stated that the , settlers (on the Kaiticke block) were carrying out the requirements -of tho Act, and there were very few cases indeed where the residence and improvement conditions were not being .complied Tho next meeting of the board is to be held to-morrow.