LAND DEVELOPMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 23 December 1930, Page 5

LAND DEVELOPMENT

THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS. STATEMENT BY HON. RANSOM. (Per favour of Government.) WELLINGTON, December 23. The Hon. Mr Ransom Acting-Prime Minister has issued the following statement in regard to land development and road works connected therewith :—- “I have already indicated the land development schemes that have been approved by Cabinet. The area under development or which is under development is composed of sixteen bldtks comprising 61,000 acres. AVith the exception of two, these are all in the North Island. TJie largest group of blocks containing 30,000 acres is near Mohaka, and right alongside the Napier-Wairoa road and railway. To open up and prepare this large area for settlement will absorb a large number of men and it is probable that on the suspension of the Waikokopu-Gisborne railway, work will be offered men on the Mohaka area. A group of schemes in the Rotorua and Whakantane area total about 11,000 acres. In the North Auckland district 18,000 acres will bo developed in four blocks. Other groups of blocks are under investigation. Cabinet on the 18th inst. decided as follows in regard to areas under control o'f the Lands Department for development and settlement:- (1) . That,, wherever possible the burden of roading the land proposed to be developed should he borne by the Public "Works Fund. This would apply more especially to access roads but also to a proportion of the, internal roading if circumstances warrant, (2) That in drafting men to works accessory to the settlement and development of land, the Lands Departmentshall co-operate with. the, Public Works Department and the Unemploy- . ment Board. 1 ■ i (3) That the possibility of prelim- > inary developent with a .view to closersubdivision of any property shall ■be thoroughly explored before any scheme of subdivision for ballot purposes is proceeded with. A committee of heads of Departments under the chairmanship of the Minister of Public Works, is engaged; on the investigation of further alternative measures, such ns roading, with due regard to areas under development or proposed to he developed by the Lands and Native Departments, build-*' ings and irrigation.