KING COUNTRY LANDS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 129, 8 February 1909, Page 2

KING COUNTRY LANDS.

Open for Settlement. The intimation that land to the extent of 2-50,00 r ' acres is to be opened for settlement in the King Country will Ijo v.'eicomer; not only by the settiers in the immediate vicinity, but by the vast army of Sand seekers throughout Dominion. Ohura, Waitomo. and West Taupo are said to be the ; counties in which the areas lie, ana blocks to the number of 260 are in- ; volved. Presumably the area referred . to includes the land purchased by the , Government Land Purchase Officer for < the dis?trie. Mr W. H. Grace, daring 1 the past two years. These land? in- i elude a considerable portion of the Rangitoto block, situated on tne eastern side of the Main T runic Jir.e, ana • extends from close to Otorohanga up j to Ongarue, and across to the western j side of the Ohura Valley. The country ! is of excellent quality, and consists of j open fern and bush land, suitable lor j all classes c-f farming.. The opening j for settlement of such a large area ; must have an immediate decided effect ; upon the prosperity oc the whole Gis- ; trict, to say nothing of the ultimate : benefit which will accrue to the Dominion as a whole. Probably few people outside tne im- ! mediate locality realise the vast poss:- 1 bilities of the district in the matter o: 1 !?.r.d settlement. A quarter of a miliion ; acres is a line tract of country :n it- ■ self, and when subdivided and settled. : is sufficient to constitute and support ■ more than one important centre. When ! it is remembered that the area in ques- • tion is but a small portion of the un- : scttLd land in the district, it will be realised what a great asset the Domin- ; ion possesses in the King Country, ano | what a future lies before the King j I Country centres. Various hlocKS are j included in the area mentioned, and it j : may lie of interest to indicate the ■ direction ir. which the trade ol tne 1 difTerc-nt centres will be affected by j the settlement. At an approximate ' estimate, Otorohanga will be the out- ■ let for about a third of the country. Tc 1 Kuiti will r rooably ;jO tne centre lor ; : the same amount, while Ongarue and i '• Waimeha will be the other points on ; : the Main Trunk line from which the j • remainder of the country will be ! roaded. An excellent block of country ; near Aria is included in the area to be opened, and >'rom its connection with that centre Te Kuiti will also draw material benefit. The trade jof the whole district will, in the natural course of events, ultimately gravlate ; to Auckland, but places like Te Kuiti j and Otorohanga. already centres of j growing importance, will certainly be the chief gainers as far as the country towns are concerned.