NORTH ISLAND PROBLEM

Evening Star, Issue 19798, 23 February 1928, Page 11

NORTH ISLAND PROBLEM

MINISTER INSPECTS DETERIORATED AREAS REVALUATION AND TOP DRESSING [Special to the ‘Stab.’] WELLINGTON, February 22. The Minister of Agriculture (Mr Hawken) has returned to Wellington after inspection, in the company of the Minister of Lands (Mr M'Leod) of a large area of deteriorated lands in Raglan and Kawhia Counties. These areas are typical of hundreds of thousnds of acres in the centre of the North Island, which have gone bac kinto second growth, and constitute a problem which the Government is endeavoring to solve. Mr Hawken, when asked for his impressions, declared frankly that when the original capital value of this land was added to the cost of breaking it in. the total was much more than the land is at present worth. “ Consequently,” he continued, “ a certain amount of the capital value must be written off, though a great deal lias been done in that way already. The process of depletion is still going on, and will proceed until this land reaches that price which will enable the farmer to work it.” IMPROVED PROSPECTS. “Of course,” continued the Minister, “ improved prices for stock, particularly sheep and store cattle, have been a great help to the settlers, and they are undoubtedly feeling in a more cheerful mood than they have been for some time. The sound condition of the store cattle market will be a very great help to the settlers on this rough country. There, is no doubt that throughout this country—in fact in all the parts I visited—it is absolutely necessary to keep on the land a considerable proportion of cattle among the live stock, as they keep down the fern. It was very noticeable that in a great deal of this country second growth and rubbish has increased owing to the absence of sufficient cattle. 1 think there is only one possible way of bringing this land back into a proper state—that is, by the use of top dressing. The land responds to fertilisers, but the difficulty of settlers lias been their.lack of a sufficient margin over expenses to provide money for this necessary improvement. A good deal of this deteriorated land can bo brought hack by the use of fertilisers; a great deal will be fanned again, but only by men who understand it. Some is being taken up now, but on very different terms from the past. The great bulk is Crown land, though there is some Native land in the deteriorated area.” The Minister suggested that the tremendous advance in road facilities during the last six years was another favorable factor in the situation. This was due to the altered method of maintaining and building roads which the Highways Board policy had introduced.