The Guardian FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21st., 1921, AN UNDEVELOPED ASSET.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 October 1921, Page 2

The Guardian FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21st., 1921, AN UNDEVELOPED ASSET.

One of the most striking of the undeveloped assets of Westland, is its swamp lands. Perhaps few peonl" realise the extent of these, and hut few indeed the pent up resources of same

in regard to productivity, once the land is brought into prolit. In various parts of New Zealand now a good deal of attention is being devoted to the permanent improvement of ''’111: (1 lands by drainage. litis is notably so in the North Island where very large areas are being so brought into profit. The outstanding example in this district of swamp land improvemont. is on the area held by .V "s.-i s Alcl.eaii Ltd, at Ihlri llari. whi h is a very line example of what can he done and the true value ol such territory as it is brought into productive use. In* the, Kokntahi district there are three or four large areas of swamp land awaiting proper .Attention. Ibe considerable extent of country along the main road on the hill side i v a striking example of the good land ol the district which has been allowed to remain practically fallow for tolly ot) years. It is only of late that -m r-ll'ort has been made to retrieve the land in i|]iestion foi' ■permanent settlement. Kven then the elfin ts have been spasmodic and not comprehensive. 1 here has been no definite scheme worked out Here and there isolated settlers haw done a little. But the little lias shown results to warrant a considered scheme being brought to pass. At best a little surface draining lias been done

where fall could be readily obtained, but the results are really s'lr.pr.-tug and fully wii'mlil .1 much insn- extensive scheme. It is certainly encouraging to sec the growth of glass taking place on tke swamp land where primative means of drainage have been adopted. The West Coast "luc-.an-" lotus major— thrives well in such land anil feed grows well generally. In these circumstances it is satis! icloiy indeed to notice that the local body concerned in the welfare ot 'lie enstrict should be taking up the matter in regard to formulating 11 comprehensive drainage scheme for the listin': t. As a result of representations made 10 the Government, a Drainage 1- ngiiuvr ■is to take up the survey of the h. o'-r----talii swamp lands, and Irom tin* data gleaned in regard to levels and fall a district proposition will he loianulated Drainage is a mutter which usually can lie curried out in sections, so that it is conceivable much r ood work can -Is- done by stages from the inception of which material improvement *0 the iidiiU-cnt lands will result. The prim-pal water courses of trim distentare largely as nature has h-lt them. Most of them are badly overgrown, blocked with debris and certainly not performing full drainage l unctions. The clearing and opening ol the e streams would in themselves work wonders in letting storm water •■way, and gradually drying up tile water logged land. In this way tli- land, now unusable will gradually ( nine ii to uso, carrying stock aAul adding to the productive capacity of the di'tn. t. If

tile Kokattabi swamp land* •••f“c brought into pro lit. the product: >'.i c.l the district would slum a rapid increase. There is a large area m lhe land adjacent to the butter ia •'cry, so that right at band i- the immediate incentive to produce more and more from the land. The money put into the work is not lost. It .'elicits itself in the added value of the icml. It were as though the settlers v ere putting fheir money into a land hank. They would get their interest sv ineil'ased returns, while if they warded theii eanital back, they would get it hi selling tin' land at its enhanced value. There is a very valuable :1 ~-c[ at. oiii dole's in the swamp lands, and tin' sooner they are developed ‘he better for all concerned.