THE PROBLEM OF ORONGO

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5404, 25 March 1929, Page 3

THE PROBLEM OF ORONGO

<"• • ’ WAR AGAINST FESCUE. REPRESENTATIONS to minister. The remnants of the ban;l of. soldier settlers who took up land and endeavoured to make farms at Orongo were introduced to the Han. E- A. Ransom, Minuter of Public Works, by Mr AM. Samuel on Thursday last. ■ Mr Samuel told of the seven years’ warfare waged by the settlers, and how the band of twepty-three had dwindled down to seven. They had J,ped and had been beaten, and their ty&itlook ua.s now hopeless. Under, exlegislation there was no power by wjiich the Government could remove- them to other land where they could make a living, and. such authority should be obtained! from Parliament sb that justice could be done. ’ The Minister said he was familiar with fescue, as it grew in his district, but it was. obvious to. him that Orongo* 'was a different proposition. He discussed methods of. working, and learned of the difficulty of ploughing and that the land would not respond to

manure. This had been pi<wed by thorough trials. One settler had his land three; tim.es, letting. - Tft fallow between eac,h ploughing, but when grass was planted none came up. The settlers now had no money, and could not afford to take up land which required breaking in or which did not MKdve an immediate return. Their exhad proved that even if the ’ fescue was dealt with, the land of Orong.o was not worth working as it would not respond to ordinary agricultural methods, and dairying was out of the question as the -annual mortal- ■ ity in c.ows was from 40 to 50 per cent. The .Minister said he could see tnat Orongo was not a place fptr men ,with- < out money, and he would discuss the r-i matter with Cabinet.