NAPIER LAND

Hokitika Guardian, 13 December 1932, Page 6

NAPIER LAND

RAISED FROM SEA

BIG AREA AVAILABLE

NAPIER, December 12

Hopes for tne successful cultivation of land on the Ahuriri lagoon, which was, raised aoove (ea tv.. --r oy tut eanhquake on February 5 last year, are encouraged from experimental plantings. Ail area of .some hundreds oi acres, which was taken ove r a few month s ago by private. interests, has already yielded good crops, including tsplendid potatoes some of which weighed as much as 2Coz. The lane on which these particular crop 3 were grown was under three or four ■ fee: of sea water less than two years ago wherea s since it became, elevated by the earthquake it bais been ploughed and barley has been town, the barley being fed off to sheep and the ground afterwards being again ploughed ar.' then planted with potatoes. Other patches which have been sow’ in grass seed by the Napier Harbour Board as experimental plots have alsc yielded good result. Excellent specimens of famous .Hawke,s Bay ''perennial ryegrass have been grown, as well a? cocksfoot and other grasses. The whole lagoon comprise*; some 700(1 acres, a portion of which is' still under tidal’ water varying in. depth from » few inches to two or three feet.

A comprehensive project for the drainage, and washing of the entire area is now under consideration by the Harbour Board, which is negotiating •v t!. the Unemployment Board, rh= Public Work, s Department and the Department of Agriculture for the formulation of a scheme by which the land may he brought into productivity with the ultimate object of settling a ]arcre number of unemployed men and familiWh Detailed reports prepared by Mr B. C'. Aston, chief chemist to the Department of Agriculture, give every encouragement; to ■ the proposal.