SWAMP LANDS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 60, 8 September 1926, Page 10

SWAMP LANDS

HELPING SETTLEEB TO MAKE GOOD.

The Swamp Lands Bill was passed by the House' of Bepresenfcativcs yesterday. Moving tho second reading, the Minister of Lands (the Hon. A. D. M'Leod) said that the Bill dealt with tho Kaitaia and Waihi swamps, and provided lor the writing-off of certain sums, amounting to £109,000. On the whole, the developmental schemes in those areas had not been unsuccessful. They had worked out in most cases right ahead of what had been anticipated in the first place. He had gone into the question very carefully himself, and had acted on tho advice of his moat competent officers. Tho area concerned at Kaitaia was 61,000 acres, and of that area it was estimated that it would not bo possible to develop 10,000 acres. It would be necessary for tho Government to subsidise maintenance and so on. It was intended to proceed on the same lineß as tho Rangitaiki scheme. The Government was anxious to givo the settlers evory possible chance to I make good, and could impose much harder conditions if it wished. It was not known how many settlers it would be possible to put on the land. The work would cost £234,000. Colouol A. 801 l (Bay of Islands) congratulated the Minister on tho stand ho had taken. However, ho urged that the Government should bo a littlo more lonient to the settlors, and not ask them to pay what they did not have. He asked the Minister to consider reducing the capital cost on tho Bottlers to £100,000. Replying, the Minister said that he did not see any reason why the matter should be delayed any further in order that an investigation might be carried out. The Bill was passed.