IDLE MAORI LANDS,

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1804, 17 July 1913, Page 4

IDLE MAORI LANDS,

: A-WAIROA BUGBEAR. ! A Wairoa settler' sends au interesting statement of tho needs of that isolated district of Hawke's Bay:— ' 'yl.-'-Native schools predominate. in tho .district,,consequently! the-. standard ot work and results so far as the white children who attend are concerned does not meet with tho satisfaction of parents, but it is certainly better than nothing, and any of the. small schools that exist under the Hawke's Bay Board have all they can do to scrape along, not being in any way over-iikerally treated. I cannot say that any special attempt is made to train tho children for-work and life on tho farm. ■■ 2.—As wool c.nd mutton and store stock are our only products, I' consider that apart from the many charges and expenses attached to tho. getting away of the wool'to Napier or on to the Home boats, wo fare as well as anyone else with the wool, but with fat stock and store lines we are entirely in the hands of tho neighbouring freezing companies, "who come when they like," "take what they like," and "pay what they like" for same, and we have no other option but to take it. 3.—No railway and little or no prospect of any for manj- years, 1, am afraid, although the Napier-Gisborne line is surveyed, through our midst. Roads are improving slowly, at best only fit for general traffic for about six to seven-months of the year. Many outlying districts have only bridle-tracks. 4.—Considering our many disadvantages, I consider wo should be satisfied, but. I think the telephone service could be much improved and made easier to obtain by ■ the struggling back-blockers. 5. —I cannot see much benefit at present, as owing to our isolation we have little or no outside competition.' G.—Yes, to those who read and avail themselves, of it, but scarcity of labour, cost of freight, and haulage on lime and fertilisers, make experiments prohibitive. I think, considering our situation, a small farm or experimental station should bo established on this coast, as we cannot avail ourselves of the many'chances that tho West Coast has, and, further, what suits tho West Coast does not suit this. 7.—No organisation whatever. B.—Yes, if they had better roads (I mean the holders of Government leases). '!).—No. If it were not for tho Natives we could not get on at all. Maoris practically do all the work in the district. 10.—Judging bv the amount of money .that is spent in .Wairoa during a carnival week, I do not think that the wage-earn-ers arc in any way short paid. Other conditions are very favourable, an eight-hour day is universal, and if you want anything done on a wet day "do it yourself." , 11.—The best single thing that would improve both town and country life in (lie Wairoa district would be the speedy and final settlement'.of tho Maori lands'; what, the Natives'are losing in deterioration of their lands by blackberry, thistle, and other obnoxious weeds, together with the loss of time and money at Land Courts, which seems to be endless, will only be estimated by the men who will ultimately farm them. Many a Maori has spent tho value of his land in Court fees, alid many others have drank their heritage over and over again. Tho whole business is a force, and the Court is an institution that as far as can bo seen has'failed to, give the satisfaction that should bo expected. If the amount of good land that is available in the Wairoa County was closely settled at a living rental, tho farmers themselves would soon manage to ovorcome any dullness that is attached to farm life. If T may continue, I would say that if rents were made reasonable anil freehold assured to many of our settlers, and the possibilities of farming made moro evident by lectures and demonstrations, Ihe towns would not continue to fascinate.