MINISTER ON PLAINS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5427, 22 May 1929, Page 4

MINISTER ON PLAINS.

HON. FORBES MEETS SETTLERS. DISTRICT NEEDS DISCUSSED. During the course of- his tour of the Hauraki Plains last week the Minister of Lands, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, received numerous deputations on matters affecting the welfare of the district. While at Turua and Orongo on Thursday the Minister had the following subjects placed before him :— Petrol Tax. Cr. W. Madgwick explained that prior to the coming into operation of the main highways scheme the Turua people had raised a big loan to have their roads laid down in permanent material. The matter of refunding the amount spent prior- to the highway scheme had been represented to Ministers on previous visits and no reply had been received, but the Prime Minister had stated in Taranaki that retrospective payments for roads could not be made. Under- the circumstances, perhaps it was possible to give relief by a different method of allocating the money raised by the petrol tax. The Minister said that the position applied to the Taranaki district more so than elsewhere, and the Prime Minister had stated definitely that retrospective payments could not be undertaken. The question of a different allocation of the petrol tax in the direction of relieving the position would be considered by the newly constituted Transport Board, and he would pass the representations on to it. Waihou Stop-banking. Mr A. H. Sutton asked the Minister’s support in the matter of having the Waihou River stop-bank continued down-stream round Huirau Point to connect with the Drainage Board’s bank to prevent flooding due to the impounding of the Waihou floodwater within the big stop-banks. Mr A. M. Samuel explained the matter in detail, and urged the Minister to represent the matter very forcibly to the Minister of Public. This the Minister agreed to do. Experimental Plots. The need for the setting aside of certain lands in the district for experiment and demonstration on the effects of various fertilisers was stressed by Mr A. H. Rogers, who pointed out that experience had shown that no benefit had been obtained in the district by the use of the common fertilisers. The problem was a serious one, and was more than the settlers could undertake. A resident field officer who could acquaint himself with local conditions and conduct experiments. was desired. Crickets. Another of the farmers’ problems was mentioned by Mi- W. E. G. Willy, who said that in 1911 Parliament had voted a sum of money to Shelly Beach farmers whose grass had been eaten by crickets. The conditions this summer were worse than in 1911, and the settlers desired the assistance of the Agricultural Department in finding some means of combating the menace. At the request of the Minister Dr. Reakes replied on both subjects, and stated that from his investigations he considered that a special system of farming and farm management was essential. Conditions were not the same as in other parts of the Dominion, and he agreed that a thorough investigation was desirable. Experiments should be made on various farms, so as to get a variety of conditions. He did not think the department had sufficient staff available to allot a man permanently to the Plains, but he could give the job to a very competent man who could visit the locality at frequent intervals. He realised the seriousness and difficulty of the problems, and would do his best to find a solution. The Hon. Forbes said that anything Dr. Reakes might want to do would have his hearty support. Hill Run-off. Mr W. Madgwick spoke of the need for Plains farmers to have some hill country as winter run-off for their dairy cattle. He wished to back up the representations made elsewhere that the hill country beyond Waitakaruru should be made available for the purpose. The Hon. G. W. Forbes said he recognised the force of the argument. The Commissioner of Crown Lands was going into the subject thoroughly, and would certainly endeavour to make the land available. The Ministerial party then proceeded to Orongo. Farms Too Small. Mr A. Cranston, an Orongo settler, spoke of the difficulty of making a living off small 30 to 40-acre farms, and advocated removing some of the settlers and doubling the size of the holdings of those remaining. The land when it was cut up was thought to be cow-to-the-acre land, and that 30 to 40 acres would be sufficient, but experience had shown that the soil was not as good as anticipated. Being long, narrow sections, they got tramped considerably by stock. A conference of a more or less private nature followed between the settlers, the Minister, and the Commissioner of Crown Lands, and the settlers were assured that the Land Board was carefully watching for an opportunity for bettering their position. Remission of Rent. A remission of rent on account of the difficulty of fighting the fescue and the loss of stock was asked by a number of the original soldier settlers who were endeavouring to remain on the Orongo block. They pointed out that those settlers who had been removed to other districts had had their liabilities written off. Mr Graham explained the financial arrangements between the Government and the settlers. Rents had been written off, valuations reduced, and mortgages reduced. Mr Samuel asserted that Orongo had been one of the failures of the returned soldiers settlement scheme. Much had been done in other places

and much had been done for Orongo, but in common justice more should be done for the Orongo men. What was desired was a definite statement as to whether the Government would further assist the settlers or not. The Minister said that the matter was new to him, but he would investigate it thoroughly and communicate with Mr Samuel when all aspects had been considered. He would have the officers of the Agricultural Department see if something could be done to treat fescue-affected stock. Transfer of Settlers. At the end of the settlement on Opanae Road the balance of the Orongo settlers were met, A definite answer as to the Government’s intention in regard to the future of the settlers on the northern portion of the block was sought by a deputation of the seven original settlers who had been on the land for 7 b years. Mr Samuel explained that there was a legislative barrier which prevented the settlers from acquiring other land without competing in open ballots with all comers. When the matter came before Parliament he was sure all parties would realise the justice of allowing the men to take up other land. Mr E. Guernier told the Ministei* that, none of the settlers had more than 20 acres of grass after seven and a-half years of work. Now they had no money to carry on, and their experience showed them that it was no use endeavouring to work the land. Other settlers spoke of the loss of stock, and quoted instances of 40 cows out of 60 having died within a week of being placed on the fescue country. In winter the country was a sea of mud, and in summer the soil was as hard as concrete. Fertiliser had no effect. Another detriment was the quality of the water. Dr. Reakes stated that Mr Collins, of the Auckland office of the Agricultural Department, would visit the district next week and look into the questions. There was no doubt that the land required special treatment. Possibly there were detrimental chemicals in the soil which destroyed grass. A settler contended that the land would not grow grass. Dr. Reakes said he would not say that, but he doubted if it would pay to make it grow grass. A long informal discussion followed, during which the settlers recounted their experiences and told how they could get rid of the fescue by continual working, but could not do anything then. Root crops would grow, but usually would not mature before the country became too wet to cart them out. The Minister said that he was restricted by legislation from shifting the men as they desired. He would promise that he would give a definite answer as soon as he had looked into all the facts of the case. He had heard the settlers’ side and would get the other side before making a pronouncement. When he did make a statement it would be a definite one. At the present time he did not know his position, but he would ascertain it on his return to Wellington. The matter would be treated as one of urgency.