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Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1920, Page 2

The area of swamp land in Westland is very considerable, and experience is showing that with attention to drainage it can be turned to profitable advantage. Very little has been done so far in a comprehenisve way to deal with the areas, several of which are unoccupied and remain Crown Lands. Smaller areas of privately occupied swamp land are being treated in some instances, ;btit, except in the Inter-Wanganui, the work is not a scale large enough to effect practical results. Lately tile district was favoured with a visit from Mr J. B. Thompson, the Government Land Drainage Engineer who did such excellent work in the North Island. Mr Thompson saw possibilities of dealing with La Fontaine swamp, and it is believed some good results will follow hi s visit to that district. There are large swamp areas in other parts of the country, and it lis being realised now if the ground permits of drainage it is cheaper to I convert it into arable land than the ordinary forest covered areas. The swamp land where it is not created by a cement pan underlying the surface I is regarded as good land once it is free from the water. This is being proved in cases in mind where now,’excellent crops are being won from area s which but recently was water-logged country. All through this Coast, these areas appear in /considerable expanse, and with the demand for land now as it is, , there would be wisdom in setting about j drainage propositions which would have, for their object the opening up of very considerable tracts of country now lying fallow. Round about this locality, there is a considerable swamp area. In the Kokatahi district there are extensive swamp lands which are not only useless, but which store up water after ever rainfall, and bv the slow method of drainage through congested or overgrown creeks, keep the surrounding country wet and sour for an indefinite period. The present demand for land will be difficult to satisfy if these areas .' are not put in a position to bring them into profit. As the localities in mind are already roaded so far as main access is concerned, they become much cheaper for effective settlement. Also, they are adjacent to factories which could be run more cheaply with a larger product to handle. There is a very considerable area of such country in the, Kpkatahi district for instance, and if a sum equal to one pound rer aero of the land affected were to be spent on drainage works, it would give to the land owners a much enhanced value and lead to remarkable all round prosperity. With land assuming the value it is, it does not appear right that suitaWe areas, well situated and easily accessible, should remain unused, and [there is the liability on those concerned to use every endeavour to turn such territory into useful sections producing i the rich commodity of the district for the benefit of all concerned.