LAND AT AWAITI.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5428, 24 May 1929, Page 2

LAND AT AWAITI.

AWAITING ACCESS ROAD. 2000 ACRES AVAILABLE. At the present time, when there is an almost universal cry throughout the Dominion for land for settlement purposes, it seems incredible that 2000 acres at least of the fertile Hauraki Plains lie idle. Yet such is the case. A few miles from Paeroa, in the Awaiti settlement, there is this number of acres lying idle and running to noxious weeds for want of proper access.

At present the land consists in the most part of Crown, native, and freehold property which is rated at practically nothing now, and which is hardly worked, although capable of supporting a cow to the acre. With a proper access road the land would be revalued and rerated. This done, the owners would either have to work the land properly in order to pay the rates or get off it and allow others on who are willing and only too anxious to develop it. Clear evidence has been given that this area of 2000 acres is capable of being subdivided into 60 or 70-acre farms—room for 33 new settlers at a conservative estimate. Practically no drainage would be necessary in the region, those drains already there serving the land well.

The road that is required to open the valuable potential territory could be graded for less than £2 10s a chain from the Te Awaiti settlement to the Piako County boundary, thus bringing the inhabitants in closer touch with Paeroa via the Tirohia bridge. The whole subject has recently been given public prominence through the efforts of Mr H. E. Hill, himself an Awaiti farmer. This settler has personally and verbally brought the question before the Minister of Mines and the Minister of Lands on their recent visits to Paeroa. Both have intimated their intention of going into the subject, and were favourably disposed to it.

Any acquisition of new inhabitants in the Paeroa district means increased business for the borough. It has been suggested that a committee of Paeroa business men should travel out to the Awaiti settlement and see for themselves the value of the land and what it will mean to this town if it is opened. By doing so they would materially assist in bringing at the least 33 new settlers to Paeroa’s outskirts.